Introduction: Sports nutrition is critical for optimising athletes’ performance, recovery, and health. Despite its importance, significant gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among athletes often lead to suboptimal dietary habits and impaired energy balance. Sports nutrition education interventions have emerged as a promising strategy to address these deficiencies. This scoping review examined effectiveness of sports nutrition education programmes on KAP, eating behaviours, and energy availability among athletes from 2015 to 2024. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus was conducted using relevant keywords. Out of 394 studies initially screened, 12 met inclusion criteria, comprising intervention-based study designs, including randomised-controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and pre-post studies. Studies were considered eligible if they involved athletes, incorporated a nutrition education component, and assessed at least one outcome related to KAP, eating behaviour, or energy availability. Results: Most studies reported significant improvements in nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices, accompanied by positive changes in dietary behaviours. Interventions delivered via classroom instruction, digital platforms, or blended methods demonstrated varying levels of effectiveness. Key findings included increased energy availability, better dietary adherence, and favourable changes in body composition. Variations in duration of intervention programme delivery and participant characteristics led to the wide range of outcomes observed. Conclusion: Sports nutrition education can improve athletes’ nutrition knowledge and encourage healthier dietary practices. These interventions may contribute to better energy management, improved health, and enhanced sports performance, although further research is needed to evaluate their long-term effectiveness across different athlete populations.

The aim of this review was to document the recently reported prevalence and risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the last ten years. A scoping review of studies released between 2011 and 2021 was done. The main findings on selected studies’ prevalence and risk factors were summarised. Thirty-seven studies in total were chosen. The overall data on COPD prevalence was 1.3-36.7%, and the average incidence rate was 9.1%. The risk factors of COPD prevalence were identified as unchangeable risk factors (gender, age, family history of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and environmental temperature and humidity) and changeable risk factors (outdoor and indoor air pollution, cigarette smoking, occupational exposure, low education, low household income, obesity, underweight, physical inactivity, and cooking method). The highest changeable risk factors were cigarette smoking, indoor air pollution, and occupational exposure. In contrast, the lowest changeable risk factors were physical inactivity and cooking methods. Changeable risk factors significantly increase COPD risks. The COPD caused by household emissions from biofuel cooking in low-income rural areas deserves attention. Emphasis on healthy lifestyle interventions and economic and educational policies to reduce environmental impacts may prevent COPD.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of incremental running intensity on heart rate variability during recovery in university-level male football athletes. Methods: Twenty healthy males aged between 19-26 years old were randomly assigned to control (no running) and intervention (modified Bruce protocol running) groups. Analyses were performed at pre-exercise, 24, 48, and 72 h post-exercise. The low-frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) in peak, absolute power and normalised unit (n.u.), as well as LF/HF ratio, were assessed. Results: Intervention group showed a reduced LF n.u. response (ES=1.69) whereas HF n.u. showed the opposite response (ES=1.51) at 24 h post-exercise. The intervention group showed a significant difference in the LF/HF ratio at 48 h post-exercise (p=0.002; ES=1.05). Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that incremental type of exercise influence both sympathetic and parasympathetic response for at least 48 h post-exercise.

Introduction: This study investigated the effect of combined plant-based protein supplementation and resistance training on muscular strength, blood markers of protein catabolism, immune function, and bone metabolism in sedentary adult males. Methods: In this randomised, double-blinded study, 28 healthy males aged 19 – 29 years old were equally assigned into four groups: a combined plant-based protein with resistance training (PBPEX), plant-based protein alone (PBP), resistance training alone (EX) and control (C). Mode of resistance training was flat barbell press, machine shoulder press, wide grip lateral pull-down, seated cable row, barbell back squat, leg press and leg extension. The 8-week resistance training involved three sets of 60-70% of one-repetition maximum (1-RM) at 4-6 repetition/set/mode per session, three sessions/week. Participants in PBPEX and PBP groups consumed a plant-based protein supplement consisted of 9.8 g soy and pea protein for seven days/week. Results: PBPEX showed significant increases (p<0.01) in the knee and shoulder flexion peak torque compared to EX groups, respectively. PBP showed a significantly higher level (p<0.05) of serum urea, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) compared to other groups. There were no changes in immune function and bone metabolism markers between pre- and post-exercise in all groups. Conclusions: These findings implied that a combination of plant-based protein supplementation and resistance training elicited greater beneficial effects on muscular strength than resistance training alone and plant-based protein supplementation alone. Therefore, combined plant-based protein with resistance training may be recommended in planning exercise and nutritional programme for sedentary male adults.

Background: Strength of leg musculature is crucial to generate propulsive force during rowing. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of isokinetic dominant leg strength and 2 km time trial on stationary rowing ergometer among male national rowers. Methods: Seventeen male national rowers were recruited for the study. Their hip and knee isokinetic strength were determined in the sagittal plane at 60°/s angular velocity. The relationship between the hip and knee strength, and 2 km time trial performance were evaluated using Pearson correlation. Results: The national rowers completed the 2 km time trial duration in 7.20±0.39 minutes. The hamstring to quadriceps ratio (H:Q) was significantly correlated to 2 km time trial performance (r=-0.491, p=0.045). No other significant relationships between hip and knee isokinetic strength and 2 km time trial performance were observed. Conclusion Increased isokinetic knee strength ratio (H:Q) may enhance 2 km time trial performance among male national rowers. Other isokinetic variables of hip and knee isokinetic strength were not significantly related to 2 km time trial.
Hip ; Knee ; Muscle Strength ; Athletic Performance