Nutritional attitudes of professional women volleyball players: a cross-sectional study from Türkiye

Background: Nutritional habits are a critical factor influencing the performance and recovery of professional athletes. Understanding how demographic variables affect nutrition-related attitudes is essential for developing targeted interventions. Objective: This study examined the nutritional attitudes of professional female volleyball players in Türkiye based on various demographic characteristics. Methods: The study included 386 licensed female volleyball players from the Turkish Women's Volleyball Super League, First League, and Second League. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition. Normality was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and skewness-kurtosis values. Statistical analyses included t-tests, ANOVA, LSD post-hoc tests, and partial correlation. Results: Significant differences in nutritional attitudes were found based on league level, smoking status, years of experience, and income level (p < 0.01). No significant differences were observed based on education level. Among the sub-dimensions, the malnutrition component showed no significant differences across most variables. Super League athletes scored significantly higher in nutritional knowledge and positive nutritional behaviors. Conclusion: The nutritional attitudes of professional volleyball players vary considerably according to key demographic factors. These findings highlight the importance of targeted nutrition education, particularly for lower-league athletes, to enhance performance and reduce disparities in nutritional knowledge.