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CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

INTRODUCTION

Practices of Varsity Athletes on Maintaing Health were to determine the

nutrition knowledge and proper hygiene or behavior of varsity athletes and their
food preferences. It is all about helping varsity athletes achieve their goals, and it
should be done positively, smarty with passion.

A problem facing athletes today is the lack of availability of healthy fast

foods or readily prepared foods. College varsity athletes have little time and
space when it comes to meal preparation within the confines of dorms,
apartments, or sharing housing. An additional, concern is the knowledge to
determine which food items to select. Current research indicates that as the
athlete’s knowledge increase, the nutritional quality food choices improve
(Kunkei, Bell &Luccih 2011).

Standard practices of varsity athletes in the Philippines are a burgeoning

practice that opens a new pathway for Filipinos especially students, athletes and
varsity players to develop their fullest potential, personally and professionally.
Athletes must establish their nutritional goals, and also be able to translate them
into dietary strategies that will meet these goals. Meeting energy demand,
maintaining body mass and body fat at appropriate levels are vital goals. They
also need regular, balanced meals and snacks to maintain the high energy
demands of training, competition and the rigor of an academic performance.

About sports, the role of the coach is to create the right conditions for
learning to happen and to find ways of motivating the athletes about their proper
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hygiene. The coach will need to be able to: assist athletes in preparing training
programs about appropriate hygiene, communicate effectively with athletes and
support the athletes in developing new skills. For a varsity athlete, competence is
a standardized requirement for an individual to perform a specific job correctly.

In Gensantos Foundation College Incorporation, particularly the coaches

who find difficulty in maintaining health and proper hygiene of varsity athletes as
part of their field to cope up the practices needed by the varsity athletes.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study endeavored to determine if there was a significant relationship

of the practices on the physical fitness towards health and food preferences
among varsity athletes of Gensantos Foundation College Inc.

Specifically, this research attempted to shed light on the following

problems:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age
1.2 Gender

2. What are the practices in physical fitness in health of the varsity

athletes?

2.1 Agility
2.2 Muscular Strength
2.3 Flexibility
2.4 Body Composition
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2.5 Cardiovascular Endurance

3. What are the food preferences of varsity athletes?

3.1 Proteins
3.2 Fluids
3.3 Carbohydrates
3.4 Vitamins

4. Is there a significant relationship between the practices in maintaining

health and their food preferences of varsity athlete?

HYPOTHESIS

There is NO significant relationship between the practices on the

physical fitness towards health and food preferences among varsity athletes in
Gensantos Foundation College Incorporation.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

This study focuses on the practices on the physical fitness towards health
and food preferences among varsity athletes of Gensantos Foundation College
Incorporation. It is limited to identifying what are the demographic profile and the
practices of their health and food preferences of the varsity athletes.
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This research is delimited to the varsity athlete’s students enrolled for the
Academic Year 2023-2024 at Gensantos Foundation College Incorporation.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study could be very significant to a number of persons, mostly

involved in the task of running the affairs of the school.

School Administrators - Knowing the problems of their teachers

handling physical education and coaching athletes for sports test could provide
data which could serve them basis in proposing progress and projects designed
improved teaching competence in P.E teachers as well as how to enhance and
maintain their health.

Coaches – The profound insight into coaching efficiency and how to be

competent coach. The results of the study would guide them and provide the
opportunity to develop them style of coaching.

Varsity Athletes – It would give ideas to improve their performances in

sport to develop their proper hygiene and their standard practices in maintaining
health.

Parents – this study will help parents to be aware of the practices of

maintaining health and food preferences of the students.
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Future Researchers – the results of this study could help them use the
literature and studies related to this kind of research being investigated.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms were operationally defined to give the reading audience
clear understanding on how these terms being used in this research.

Food Preferences refers to how varsity athletes select the food they eat. An
interdisciplinary topic, food choices comprise psychological and sociological
aspects.

Practices on physical fitness in health the term refers to the proper

hygiene on how varsity supports their health.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Figure 1 presents the conceptual framework

of the study. It shows the different variables being
considered in the study. It could be seen in the Food preferences
figure the variables to investigate. The two of varsity athletes
important variables are the food preferences and in terms of:
the practices of physical fitness in health among
varsity athletes in Gensantos Foundation College  Proteins
Incorporation. The food preferences of varsity  Fluids
athletes serve as the independent variable and the  Carbohydrates
practice of physical fitness in health among varsity  Vitamins
athletes of Gensantos Foundation College
Incorporation serves as the dependent variable.

Dependent
Independent
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Practice in physical
fitness in health in
terms of:

 Agility
 Muscular Strength
 Flexibility
 Body Composition
 Cardiovascular
Endurance

Figure 1. conceptual Framework

Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the literature, theories, concepts, principles and

other studies related to the topic.
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Basic Nutrition and Importance of Nutrition

Many people think of nutrition as something that people must have to

survive. However, not many people know what bit is, about nutrition that makes it
so valuable. For athletes, nutrition is vital not only for performance but also for
injury prevention.

A study, completed by Reid-St, examined eating habits and injury rates

among female runners. It concluded 55% of the 29 athletes polled reported
injuries and those athletes also ate approximately 200 fewer calories per day. An
athlete who is well nourished is not only healthy but typically capable of training
more intensely and competing quite successfully, as well as being less
susceptible to injury. Although the same diet will not suit everyone, it is the
fundamentals principles that matter. For instance, the typical diet for an athlete is
40-60% carbohydrates, 20-30% protein and 15-20% far Looke (2013).

Carbohydrates are the favored fuel for exercise and are stored in the form of
glycogen in the liver and muscles. The people who trained several hours a day
require more efficient source of energy. Foods that are high in carbohydrates are
bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Now, with the new low carbohydrate diet craze, it
would be hard for athletes to maintain their carbohydrates needs.

Regardless of gender or sport, athletes are always attentive to protein

intake. Athletes have higher protein needs related to protein's role in repairing
muscle tissue, ligaments and tendons. Fat is an energy dense nutrient, which is
needed in everyone's diet to help maintain the nervous system and cell
membranes in the body. Fat can be also a good source of calories for athletes
with higher energy needs. However, athletic trainers should encourage athletes
to choose lower fat foods or healthier sources of monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats, such as nuts, seeds, high fats fish and olive oil Harter,
(2014).
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Pre-game Meal

Athletes have a busy schedule, especially when it is their season.

Therefore, the one central important concept that is missing, is the pre-game
meal. The primary goal of a pre-game meal is to have enough energy to last the
entire game and to stay well hydrated. The actual pre-game meal is merely
topping off muscle glycogen; otherwise, athletes would not have enough energy
for the whole of the game.

The pre-game meal also helps to prevent a low blood sugar level which
can interfere with an athlete’s performance; if the wrong foods are consumed, it
can limit the level of performance. The brain gets its energy almost exclusively
from sugar in the bloodstream and muscles don’t contract effectively when blood
sugar runs low. Energy acquired through the food an athlete consumes before a
game. A person’s metabolism dictates how much energy will be available for the
person to perform some exercises after the body’s immediate needs met. A
person needs to consume more calories than the basal metabolic rate (BMR)
requirement.

Athletes should enter a game on an almost empty stomach. The pre-game

meal should be eaten approximately two to three hours before the game. This
meal should consist a high carbohydrate food and lots of fluids. By consuming a
proper pre-game meal before a game, an athlete will notice benefits such as
more energy, and the ability to concentrate better during the game helping them
maintain the best performance possible (Witherspoon and White, (2010).

Post-game Meal

After competition or practice, athletes realize that they are hungry and
thirsty. What they eat after the game also affects their body’s recovery from high
energy needs. The key to a post-game meal is to restore the essential nutrients
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that were lost quickly. An athlete’s body can be only fully ready for the next
workout or game if its glycogen and fluids stores are completely replenished. If
energy is not replaced, the body becomes weak.

According to Dawson and Gerrard (2013), an athlete is often unaware that

he or she had reached suboptimal fluid and glycogen levels until it causes a
problem: performance is adversely affected, fatigue becomes difficult to ignore,
weight loss occurs, or injuries increase. The newest guidelines suggest that
athletes drink 24 ounces of fluids for every pound lost during exercise. This
should be consumed within the six hours after exercise to ensure the athlete is
achieving optimal hydration status. While re-hydrating is a key to post-game meal
refueling. Water alone may not be the best recovery fluid. Water suppresses
thirst and increases urine output, causing additional fluid lost.

A post meal game beverage that contains sodium or consuming salty food
with a post-game fluid helps the body retain water, therefore decreasing may
stimulate muscle growth. Neglecting the post-game meal could result in muscle
breakdown and fatigue during subsequent workouts. The most critical factor is
meeting the carbohydrate requirements. Smaller more frequent meals may be
easier to tolerate for some athletes, but as long as he or she meets the goals
consuming the appropriate amount of carbohydrates, the number of meals is
irrelevant Feltz and Brown, (2012).

Knowledge of Nutrition

It has been found that athletes have a positive attitude toward nutrition.
However, this doesn’t mean that athletes know enough about nutrition Zawila et
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al., (2014). It was found that female collegiate cross-country runners lacked
nutritional knowledge critical to preventing nutrition - related health problems.
The results of this study showed that 22% of the runners completed a nutrition
course in college. The same runners scored is higher than those who did not
take a nutrition course. Runners obtained nutritional knowledge from a variety of
sources. Proper nutrition is the key to prevention of the female athlete triad.

The athletic trainer has the opportunity to serve as the first line of defense
in preventing and identifying nutrition related health problem. With society fear of
fat, athletic trainers need to emphasize the roles of fat in the body. Higher scores
on nutrition for the athletes may suggest an increased focus on knowledge
related to the athlete without a foundation of general nutritional understanding.
The athletes who has more control over what to eat, must make decisions and
become aware of his/her dietary habits.

Zawila et al., (2014) theorized that the quality of nutrition sources is more
important than the number of nutritional sources a runner uses, and the athletic
trainer may need to assume a more active role in nutritional education. Moreover,
female collegiate cross-country runners demonstrated a positive attitude toward
nutrition, indicating that this population of runners may be receptive to nutritional
education. However, it is unclear if athletes are more knowledgeable about the
role of nutrition knowledge of athletes at a Division I NCAA institution.

Rosenbloom et al., (2015) reported that out of 328 Division I, the student’s
athletes, 63% of men and 54% of women knew that carbohydrates and fat are
primary energy source for activity, and a high percentage of both groups
recognized that eating carbohydrates would not make them fat. The majority of
athletes believed that sugar is consumed before an event would adversely affect
performance. Most of the athletes believed that vitamin and mineral supplements
increased energy.
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The result of this study showed that athletes could use the extra nutritional
knowledge that professionals can be provide. Professionals can help athletes
recognized the role of nutrition in sports and help them choose the most
appropriate foods and fluids to attain peak performance.

The purpose of another study, done by Kopp and Young (2016) was to
determine college student’s knowledge of necessary nutrition information at a
mid-western university. The subjects were pre-tested to see how much they
knew before taking a nutrition section of a course; followed by a post-test. The
results suggested that these college students need more nutrition education and
greater awareness of the consequences of poor nutritional choices. To help the
climbing obesity rates, health education needs to be taught in grades K-12,
correlated to other subjects and continued through college years. If the proper
education is taught at an early age and then re-taught every so often, then better
results might show athletes knowing about essential nutrition and using better
dietary practices.

According to Webb & Beckford (2014), adolescence spanning 11-21

years, is a critical stage of life where rapid growth and development increase
energy and nutrient requirements. Athletes particularly those in sports, must
consider nutrition for growth and performance. Lifestyle and dietary habits
significantly impact health and performance. High nutrition knowledge and
positive attitudes can enhance athletes' performance and health. Sports nutrition
involves understanding how nutrients are utilized, their relationship with
metabolism, energy production, and exercise recovery.

Birkenhead & Slater (2015), athletes make daily food choices that impact
health and performance. A well-planned nutrition strategy should include careful
timing and selection of appropriate foods and fluids. Factors motivating food
selection include taste, convenience, nutrition knowledge, and beliefs. Factors
influencing food choice vary between individuals and populations. Despite
studies with general populations, little research has been conducted with
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athletes, who face competitive demands and performance. Further research is

needed to understand athletes' food choice motives and dietary intake.

Nascimento, & Mendes-Netto (2016), a balanced diet is crucial for

improved sports performance and health, as athletes may suffer from depletion
of glycogen stores, dehydration, and muscle damage during exercise. Nutrient-
rich foods and water can improve thermoregulation, energy stores, muscle
protein synthesis, and provide vitamins and minerals. However, many athletes
have shown nutritional inadequacies, possibly due to low nutritional knowledge
and lack of adequate counseling. Tailored nutrition programs could improve
athletes' nutrition knowledge and coaches' nutritional knowledge. However, few
studies have studied nutritional interventions in athletes, and most focus on
improving hydration practices or nutritional knowledge. This study aims to
evaluate and compare the effect of a nutritional intervention on athlete body
composition, eating behavior, and nutritional knowledge, as well as between
adult and adolescent athletes.

According to Grete R, Jane & Kimberli, P. (2011), nutrition forms the

foundation for physical performance; it provides the fuel for biological work and
the chemicals for extracting and using food’s potential energy. Research
supports that proper nutrient intake corresponds to peak physical performance
and that nutrient deficiencies may lead to diminished athletic performance. In the
past, only elite athletes were concerned with the role of nutrition in athletic
performance. Today, most athletes understand that proper fueling through
optimal nutrition is an important and integral part of a training program.
Nonetheless, most collegiate athletes remain poorly educated about sound
nutritional practices and are unskilled in making appropriate daily nutritional
choices. College athletes often turn to athletic trainers, strength and conditioning
staff, coaches, or other athletes for nutrition advice, many of whom offer limited
factual information concerning sports nutrition. Only a handful of college athletic
associations have documented using the expertise of dietetics professionals to
enhance their team’s performance. Athletes often obtain their nutrition
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information from the internet or the popular press, especially “muscle” magazines
that are quick to hype supplementation and unproven diet manipulations as the
way to achieve the ideal image. Magazines and friends were the two most
common sources of nutrition information for softball players in one research
study.

Nutrition programs significantly impact athletic performance, with an

increase in internationally endorsed dietary guidelines. However, many athletes
have sub-optimal dietary intakes due to factors such as time, finances, cooking
skills, and access to equipment. Nutrition knowledge is a modifiable determinant
of dietary behaviors, and sports dietitians often focus on nutrition education to
improve awareness and compliance with expert guidelines. Cross-sectional
studies report poor nutrition knowledge of athletes and coaches, with a weak
positive correlation between knowledge and good quality dietary intake. Further
high-quality research is needed to confirm the relationship between nutrition
knowledge and dietary intake. Current nutrition knowledge measures have
limitations, and a detailed review of their limitations has not been undertaken.
Despite this, coaches are often a key source of nutrition information for athletes,
but there has not been a systematic review of their knowledge Trakman & Belski
(2016).

According to Holway & Spriet (2011), Nutrition for team sports requires
scientific research and social skills to work with sports medicine and coaching
staff. Intermittent activity requires heavy reliance on carbohydrate sources for
glycogen maintenance. Dietary planning should include enough carbohydrates
and protein. Strength and power team sports require muscle-building programs,
and anthropometric measurements can help monitor body composition. Sports
beverages, caffeine, and creatine are common supplements. An individual
approach is needed for each athlete.

Athletes prioritize meeting energy and nutrient needs for peak

performance, and a healthy, well-balanced diet is essential for overall health.
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Nutrition education is a primary strategy to help athletes consume an adequate

diet, addressing food selection and preparation skills. Even a small amount of
nutrition knowledge is pivotal in supporting healthier food habits. Individuals with
higher nutrition knowledge are almost 25 times more likely to meet current
recommendations for fruits, vegetables, and fats. However, there is limited
information about athletes' nutrition knowledge and its influence on dietary intake
Spendlove, Heaney & Gifford (2012).

According to Chunlei (2016), Excellent physical fitness is essential for

improving the athletes' technical and tactical level and performance and is the
basic requirement for competing athletes under high-intensity training.

According to Feito (2018) A substantial number of publications proved a

significant positive correlation between physical fitness components and exercise
training intervention. The American College of Sports Medicine guidelines
support the use of traditional resistance training, traditional resistance training
enhances physical fitness performance by gradually increasing exercise load
during the training process.

However, the training specificity literature has shown that the benefits of
traditional resistance training for improving physical fitness is rarely transferred to
sports performance Li (2019).

According to Fernandez et al, (2016); Santos-rosa et al, (2020). Most of

the traditional resistance training methods are not multi-articular and multiplanar;
these aspects seem fundamental for eliciting greater sports performance.
Another way of assistance is to show the athlete what kind of food choices to
make. The food selections need to stimulate the athletes to make healthy
selections that meet the needs of the day. Talking to families, setting goals, and
seeking per support are other ways to help. But the first dietary objectives is to
stop weight loss while establishing regular eating patterns because as eating
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becomes more comfortable, energy intake should increase gradually and

athletes will be able to re-establish their athletic goals.

According to Feito et al, (2018). On the other hand, a new exercise

training method that has recently received much attention to developing athletes'
physical fitness is functional training.

Nutrition is an important part of sport performance for young athletes, in

addition to allowing for optimal growth and development. Macronutrients,
micronutrients and fluids in the proper amounts are essential to provide energy
for growth and activity. To optimize performance, young athletes need to learn
what, when and how to eat and drink before, during and after activity. Laura, K.
P. (2013).

According to Cook, (2012). Conceptually, functional training refers to the

training of partial chains and connections in the human motion chain that involves
completing specific target actions, including multi-dimensional motion trajectory
acceleration, deceleration, and stability training activities that meet the
characteristics of particular target actions Moreover, Boyle believes that the
essence of functional training is purposeful training. It is a multi-plane exercise in
stable control and weight-bearing. It is a series of exercises that involve balance
and proprioception and are supported by body parts.

According to Vegan David Rogerson, (2017) Diets are lower in calories,

protein, fat, vitamin B12, n-3 fats, calcium, and iodine compared to omnivorous
diets but higher in carbohydrates, fiber, micronutrients, phytochemicals, and
antioxidants. Achieving high energy intake can be challenging due to plant-based
foods promoting satiety. However, with strategic food choices, energy, macro
and micronutrient recommendations, and appropriate supplementation, vegan
diets can meet most athletes' needs.

According to Claire Bannerhasset, L.R. McNaughton & S.A Sparks (2019).

The idealized bodies athletes seek are constructed socially according to their
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sports. This confers them an identity and promotes beliefs and meanings to
foodways. The sports-related eating practices which superimposed national
foodways were similar in both countries, suggesting a group identity process, and
the existence of a “sports discipline's food culture”. Understanding athletes’
determinants of food choices and eating practices provide insights to address the
gap between nutritional recommendations and eating practices

According to Birkenhead, K.L. and Slater G. (2015) Athletes make daily

food choices that impact health and performance. A well-planned nutrition
strategy, including timing and selection of appropriate foods and fluids, is crucial
for training adaptations. Factors motivating food selection include taste,
convenience, nutrition knowledge, and beliefs. Factors influencing food choice
vary between individuals and populations. Performance is likely to be an
important factor influencing food choice in sports, but it's unclear if athletes
prioritize these factors or how sport involvement influences food choices.

According to Marquitta C. Webb and Safiya E. Beckford (2014) Nutrition is

an important factor in the performance and health of athletes. High levels of
nutrition knowledge and positive attitudes can result in increased performance
and health of an athlete. Therefore, nutrition is an essential component of any
athletic or physical activity program. Almost every process in the body involves
some aspect of nutrition. Hence, knowledge of how the body utilizes nutrients
and the relation of nutrients with metabolism in health and disease, energy
production, and recovery from exercise are all important aspects of sports
nutrition.

Local Studies
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According to Jeffrey T. Gilis (2012) Future nutrition education interventions

at the university under review should be tailored to fit the interests and education
levels of the sport or gender being educated. This will assist in the optimization of
retained information, providing a greater opportunity for improvements in athletic
performance and overall quality of life.

According to C Janse Van Resburg, J. Surujlal and M. Durup (2011)

University student-athletes are a significant client of educational institutions, with
their wellness influenced by various stressors such as time constraints, negative
stereotypes, and dual roles as athletes and students. This study aimed to explore
the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional wellness of university student-
athletes, identify barriers to wellness, and make recommendations. A qualitative
approach was used, including four semi-structured, open-ended focus group
interviews with a purposive sample of participants. The results showed that
student-athletes struggle to adjust to the university setting and lack the
knowledge to address their wellness needs. Key wellness practices identified
included peer interaction, reading, and networking. Barriers to achieving wellness
included poor time management, poor choice of company, and lack of transport.
Based on the findings, several recommendations were made to improve the well-
being of university student-athletes.

According to Bryan Holtzman and Kathryn E. Ackerman (2019).

Appropriate energy intake is important for the health and performance of
athletes. When an athlete’s energy intake is not concordant with energy
expenditure, short- and long-term performance can be compromised and
negative health effects may arise. The energy intake patterns of athletes are
subject to numerous effectors, including exercise response, time, and availability
of food. To assess different determinants of energy intake in athletes, we
reviewed recent literature regarding the response of appetite-regulating
hormones to exercise, appetite perceptions following exercise, chronic exercise-
induced adaptations regarding appetite, and social factors regarding energy
intake. Additionally, we discussed consequences of aberrant energy intake. The
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purpose of this review is to clarify understanding about energy intake in athletes

and provide insights into methods toward maintaining proper energy intake.

According to Fiona E. Pelly, Rachael L. Thurecht & Gary Slater (2022).

The individual determinants of food choice have been extensively investigated in
the general population, but there have been limited studies in athletes. A better
understanding of the food making decisions can help to target interventions that
lead to optimal intake for athletes’ health and performance.

According to Keren Susan Cherian, Subbarao M. Gavaravarapu, Ashok

Sainoji, and Venkata Ramana Yagnambhatt (2020). They considered nutrition as
key to performance and consumption of higher animal protein as important.
Majority of them considered sprouts, dry fruits, fruits and vegetables as healthy
foods, though were unable to define the quantities nor nutrients therein. Coaches
considered protein as “important”, while fat as “unhealthy”. They also observed
that athletes were avoiding fruits and vegetables, while consuming more rice.
Meal timing, fluid and supplement intake were considered essential for
international performance.

According to Kaitlyn Eck, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner (2021). Athletes’ food

choices were potential benefits to health and performance, availability of foods,
and recommendations from sports dietitians. Foods commonly consumed by
athletes, including fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, were generally healthy
and aligned with sports nutrition recommendations. Athletes avoided energy-
dense nutrient-poor foods, such as fast food and fried foods, with the goal of
improving performance. Some athletes took supplements (i.e., multivitamin, iron,
protein) on the premise that they would improve health and enhance
performance or recovery.

Increased physical activity plays an essential role in risk reduction for

heart disease, stroke, and cancer. For university students, engagement in
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physical activity can lead to better mental health and it can help them cope better
with the stress and demands of university life. Despite the importance of physical
activity, there seems to be a high prevalence of sedentary lifestyle among
university students. The occurrence of leisure-time physical inactivity has been
evident among a large number of university students. University students have a
busy and demanding schedule in both their academic and extracurricular
activities. They are more susceptible to adopt unhealthy coping behaviors such
as high caloric food intake and alcohol consumption.

Also, university students have been found to exhibit decreased level of

physical activity and inadequate sleep. Unhealthy lifestyle of university students
may lead to various diseases in their adulthood years. It is vital for them to adopt
a healthy lifestyle throughout their university life. A recent report on worldwide
trends in insufficient physical activity has shown that almost 40% of Filipinos are
inadequately active. Guthold et al. found that 30% of Filipino males and 50% of
Filipino females were insufficiently active. These numbers are alarming given that
physical inactivity is a known risk factor of many chronic diseases.

Promoting physical activity among university students may be an

important strategy to ensure that they develop regular physical activity habits
which they can continue throughout their adult life. Physical activity is seen to
influence the improvement of fitness parameters among university students. It
has been found that the Metabolic Equivalent (MET) and body fat percentage
were negatively correlated among university students. Researchers also pointed
out that increased physical activity led to positive effects on vertical jump
performance among college men. Collegiate students engaging in recreational
sports demonstrated higher muscular endurance as compared to those who are
sedentary.
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In the study by Mesquita et al. Men scored higher in cardiorespiratory

fitness. Women were anticipated to have lesser cardiorespiratory fitness due to
lower cardiac output and oxygen transport capacity. It has been speculated that
women having lower levels of physical activity than men caused these
physiological differences. There have been several publications on the
comparison of the fitness levels of males and females. Male physical education
students were reported to have higher physical fitness levels as compared to
female students in terms of anthropometric and performance indices.

Furthermore, the gender differences in the adherence of physical activity

in the study by Zaccagni et al. Showed that Italian female university students
were three times as sedentary as their male counterparts. In the Philippines,
there are limited studies about physical activity levels and physical fitness among
university students in Metro Manila. Thus, this study will try to establish evidence
of whether male students in the local setting are more physically active than
female students. Determining the prevalence of physical activity in university
settings may help conceptualize, plan, and implement programs towards
improving students’ health.

As a result, the purpose of this study is to compare the physical activity

and fitness levels of males versus females. The current study also aims to
examine the relationship between physical activity and fitness indices of Filipino
university students. We hypothesize that males are more active than women and
that physical active individuals have greater physical fitness levels compared to
those who are sedentary.

Try with more than 108 million people, about 30% percent composed of
children and youth. Surveillance data show an alarmingly high prevalence of
insufficient physical activity (PA) among young Filipinos. In particular, the 2019
Philippine Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) reported that 84.6% of
Filipino adolescents aged 10–17 years are not meeting the recommended
amount of PA for health. The high prevalence of physical inactivity among young
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Filipinos raises a public health issue that deserves much attention from local
public health authorities and stakeholders. Despite the

Philippine government's efforts to promote PA through sports, physical

education (PE), and healthy lifestyles, available data suggest that the country
has not successfully addressed the issue of physical inactivity, especially among
Filipino children and adolescents. For instance, data from the Global School-
based Health Surveys (GSHS) show that the percentage of Filipino adolescents
meeting the global PA recommendation has remained significantly low since
2003, and there is an increasing trend in sedentary behaviors (SB). It is still
unclear whether this discrepancy is due to ineffective PA policies or a lack of
technical capacity to implement existing policies. A more comprehensive
evaluation of PA, including its sources of influence and settings, is needed to
have a broader understanding of the PA status of children and adolescents in the
Philippines.

The Global Matrix 4.0 project is an initiative of the Active Healthy Kids
Global Alliance (AHKGA) to evaluate the extent to which countries are successful
in promoting PA participation among young people, including providing
opportunities for them to be more physically active. Each country develops its
own report card following a standard procedure. The main output is the PA
Report Card, a communication tool used to increase awareness of the PA
situation among young people in the country. In addition, it aims to advance
knowledge and influence stakeholders and advocacy leaders to create more PA
opportunities for young people.

The AHKGA provides the definitions and benchmarks of the indicators,

which the country workgroup uses as reference. Acknowledging that not all
countries have the same set of data, AHKGA provides multiple benchmarks for
several indicators (e.g., School, Family and Peers). After gathering and
assessing the available data, each indicator is assigned a grade based on
standard criteria. The ten indicators include behaviors or traits (Overall PA,
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Physical Fitness, Organized Sport and PA, Active Play, Active Transportation,
Sedentary Behaviors), and influences and settings (Family and Peers, School,
Community and Environment, Government).

The Philippines' participation in the Global Matrix 4.0 project aims to

increase awareness of the need to provide more PA opportunities for children
and young people. This paper describes the development of the first Philippine
Physical Activity Report Card for Children and Adolescents, and reports the
grades for the ten (10) PA indicators common to all participating countries in the
Global Matrix 4.0 project.

For an athlete to qualify for a weight category in competition, extreme

weight loss measures are being done by athletes as a common practice. These
measures place them at risk for the adverse effects of inadequate energy intake.
Despite the efforts to impart optimal weight-loss strategies in sports nutrition
programs, some athletes remain poorly educated about these nutritional
practices and make poor nutritional choices. Without proper education, the
correct information on proper nutrition cannot be translated into healthy and
proper dietary choices, which can interfere with athletic performance.

Athletes regularly engaging in strenuous training for the competition

should be aware of the effects of these poor nutritional practices and taught
correct strategies to support their training goals. For example, if their energy
needs are not met, there will be a breakdown of lean body tissue, which will
cause a loss of strength and endurance.

The energy demands in sports should be individualized based on their

body composition and weight goals. Diets should be composed of high
carbohydrates, an adequate amount of protein, and fluids with a low proportion of
fats. Providing macronutrient recommendations in the diet requires careful
consideration of their metabolic rates, weight loss objectives, energy
expenditures during the daily training sessions, and many more. Thus, these
 23

athletes should be informed that maintaining a proper healthy diet is vital to

optimize performance during intense training and competition and prevent
compromise in immune, endocrine, and musculoskeletal function.

In the Philippines, a positive correlation between nutritional knowledge

and dietary habits of the athletes concluded the importance and need for proper
nutrition information dissemination while considering information sources. It
affects scores for both aspects. This correlation, however, was not particular to
weight-category sports, where nutrition practices are crucial for both sport
participation and performance. Thus, this study primarily aims to determine
dietary habits and nutritional knowledge of selected combat sport national
athletes. It also aims to determine the correlation of demographics and sources
of nutrition information with participants' dietary habits and nutritional knowledge.

By providing this feedback, necessary changes and improvements may

be integrated to teach proper nutrition information and practices for optimal
health and athletic performance. cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the
dietary habits and the nutritional knowledge of the Philippines of years 2018 and
2019. The study was ethically reviewed and approved by the University of Santo
Tomas College of Rehabilitation Sciences Ethics Review Committee (UST-CRS)
(Protocol Number: SI-2018-003).

According to C. Janse Van Rensburg et al. (2011) University student-

athletes, constitutes one of the primary clients of the university, and are regarded
as the heart and soul of every educational institution. They have been described
as a special population whose university experience is different from those of
non-athletes. Their wellness is influenced by various stressors acting together
and placing physical and psychological demands on them. These stressors
include regimented schedules and time constraints; negative stereotyping by the
media, faculty and students; time constraints; physical stress and fatigue;
commitment to attend practice sessions and games; and performing a dual role
as both athletes and students.
 24

Taking into account the afore-mentioned, the present study was

undertaken to explore the physical, intellectual, social and emotional wellness of
university student-athletes, identify barriers to wellness and make appropriate
recommendations based on the results. In addition to a comprehensive literature
review on wellness, a qualitative approach using four semi-structured, open-
ended focus group interviews with a purposive sample of participants was
adopted for the study. Interviews were recorded with the permission of the
participants.

Responses were transcribed by the principal researcher verbatim from

the recordings. An inductive approach was used to analyze the content of the
data. Trustworthiness was ensured through member checks, peer review and
inter-rater agreement. An iterative consensus validation was conducted by all
members of the research team to ensure that the interpretation of the data and
identified practices and barriers made the most analytic sense. The results
indicate that student-athletes experience problems adjusting to the university
setting and lack the knowledge to address their wellness needs.

Several significant wellness practices which included, inter alia, peer

interaction, reading and networking were identified. Barriers to achieving
wellness included poor time management, poor choice of company and the lack
of transport. Arising from the findings several recommendations were made.

According to Paugh, Sarah L. (2019) Student athletes are left with very
little time to meet their nutrition needs. These athletes tend to grab the easiest on
the go food for their meal. Little do they know that this lack of nutritious food can
affect their performance. Student athletes need regular well-balanced meals and
snacks to maintain the high energy demands of training, competition, and the
rigor of an academic program.

A study completed by Ziegler et al., showed how the increased

competitiveness of the sport raises concerns about the health of these athletes.
 25

For example, nutrient intake was found to possibly be influenced by factors such
as lack of time, hectic training schedule and increased emphasis on physical
features, such as leanness and body image.

Synthesis

The role of nutrition is vital, not only for providing the proper nutrients
needed for everyday tasks but also for injury prevention and increasing athletic
performance. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are the three major nutrients in
the athlete’s diet that contributes to energy.

In the pre-game meal athletes should eat at least two to three hours
ahead of time. This meal should include high carbohydrates foods and plenty of
fluids. After the competition, athletes should eat again to restore the essential
nutrients that were lost quickly. Without consuming a post-game meal, muscle
could break down and would later fatigue in future workouts.

Nutritional knowledge should be a part of the athlete’s everyday routine. If

an athlete knows what and when to eat, then he or she can benefit from eating
the proper foods. The athletes who has more control over what to eat, must
make decisions and become aware of his/her nutritional habits. Peer education is
another way that the proper education could be met. Kunkel et al., (20016)
showed that peer education captures the athlete’s attention and can be modified
to meet specific needs of each athlete.

Therefore, knowing what to eat can not only be healthy for the athlete but
also improve the performance of the athletes. The dietary practices of athletes
can hurt their performance in the long run. By not getting the right foods athletes
won’t be able to reach top performance. Some of the common sources of intake
that athletes are encountering are fast food restaurants, quality of food, eating on
the run, and the service of the food. With these type of practices athletes is not
 26

meeting the balanced diet demands. Another problem with dietary habits is
eating disorders.

Typically, women are the primary victims, but studies have shown an
increase in men. With sports such as basketball, volleyball and badminton where
body image also plays a role, athletes tend to please the audience more than
themselves. Therefore, their nutrition slips and they in turn find themselves in
danger with their health. Identifying athletes with the potential to have an eating
disorder is a big key to prevention. Observing their appearance and attitude and
talking to families and friends is a way to step in and help o restore the essential
nutrients that were lost quickly. Without consuming a post-game meal, muscle
could break down and would later fatigue in future workouts.

CHAPTER III
 27

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research design, local of the study, research
respondents, research instruments, data gathering procedure and statistical
treatment.

RESEARCH DESIGN

The descriptive-correlation method of research was used in this study. It

designed to gather information about the present existing conditions.

As emphasized by Sevilla, et, al. (2013) when studies are designed to help
one determine the extent to which different variables are related to each other in
the population of interest as what concern of this investigation, correlation studies
is the most appropriate method to use. Correlation studies do not require large
sample or population. It was popular among thesis writing design due to an
easier designation and the ease gathering data.

As supported by fox (2011), the critical characteristics of this design are the
effort to estimate a relationship as distinguished from simple descriptions.
Through these studies, one can as certain how much variation is caused by one
variable about the variation caused by another variable.

LOCALE OF THE STUDY

This study was conducted in GenSantos Foundation College Incorporation

located Bulaong Extension, General Santos City.

RESEARCH RESPONDENTS
 28

The respondents of this study were the varsity players of physical education
who are officially enrolled in GenSantos Foundation College Incorporation,
General Santos City, during the Academic Year 2023-2024.

The varsity players engaged in different events like basketball, volleyball,

softball, badminton, etc. There are 50 Varsity Players. The varsity players are
meant to maintain their grades to be consistent varsity players as scholarship
grantees at GenSantos Foundation College Incorporation.

The researcher decided to get the total population. Thus, a purposive

sampling technique was employed.

RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS

A survey instrument was designed and submitted for validation. There were
two types of instrument used namely: Questionnaire for common practices of
varsity athletes Questionnaire for their common food preference.

The questionnaire for common practices had three parts: 1 for health and
sanitary practices, part 2 for dietary supplementation practices, and part 3 for
physical fitnes practices. These respondents were asked to check the number
that corresponds to the five responses as 5 (most practiced), 4 (practiced), 3
(moderately practiced), 2 (less practiced), 1 (not practiced).

Meanwhile the questionnaire for the level of competence of varsity players

which had five parts: part 1 is carbohydrates: part 2 is protein: part 3 is dietary
fats: part 4 is vitamins and minerals, part 5 is fluids and hydration. The
respondents were made to check the number that corresponds to the five
responses as 5 (most preferred), 4 (preferred), 3 (moderately preferred), 2 (less
preferred), 1 (not preferred).
 29

The researcher administered the questionnaire to the varsity players of

physical education who were officially enrolled in GenSantos Foundation College
Incorporation.

DATA GATHERING PROCEDURES

Having found the research instrument was valid and reliable, the researcher
asked permission from the President of the institution through a letter of
permission for conducting the research study. Upon the approval of the request,
the researcher personally administered the questionnaires to respondents who
are varsity players of physical education who were officially enrolled in this
institution. The researcher was the one who distributed the questionnaire to
them, and whatever questions for clarification, the researcher verified it to them.
And to ensure credibility and reliability of the study, the researcher explained to
the respondents the objective of the study before each respondent was made to
answer the questionnaire. As soon as the respondents were through answering
the questionnaire, the researcher together with the adviser tabulated and
processed the data manually. And tye questionnaire was collected on the day
they were administered.

STATISTICAL TREATMENT

The statistical tool to be used on this study are the following. Weighted mean
was used to determine the practices on the physical fitness towards health and
food preferences among varsity athletes.

Weighted Verbal Interpretation Quantitative Description

 30

Mean

4.3-5.0 Always The response was Strongly

agree which respondent
rated from 81 -100%.

3.5-4.2 Often The response was Agree

which the respondent rated
from 61-80%.

2.7-3.4 Sometimes The response was Neutral the

respondent rated from 41-
60%.

1.9-2.6 Seldom The response was Disagree

the respondent rated from
21- 40%.

1.0-1.8 Never The response was Strong

disagree the respondent
rated from 1-20%.

Below is the Formula that will be used in treating the data gathered:

x ̅=Σfx/n

Where:

x ̅ = weighted arithmetic mean

f= frequency of the respondents in a given scale or bracket

x= median or midpoint value of a range of values

n= sum of frequency
 31

Below is the scale of correlation coefficient of the data gathered:

Scale Correlation Interpretation

+0.91 - t1.00 Very High () Correlation

+0.71 - +0.90 High (+) Correlation

+0.51 - t0,70 No (+) Correlation

+0.31 - +0.50 Low (+) Correlation

Below is the Person R formula of the data gathered:

r=(N∑xy-(Σx))/(√([N∑x^2-) (∑〖x)〗^2 ][) ((Σy))/(N∑y^2-(∑〖y)〗^2 )

Where :

N- number of pairs of score

∑xy – sum of the products of paired score

∑x – sum of x score

∑y- sum of y score

∑x^2- sum of squared x score

〖∑y〗^2- sum of squared y

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