[Diet supplements in nutrition of sport mastery school students]

In Polish society, for some time now, a growing interest in supplementation of the diet has been observed. This problem addresses particularly to sportsmen and physically active persons. It is often due to belief that customary diet does not supply organism with necessary food ingredients. There are also some threats connected with supplementation of the diet. Problems addressed to supplementation of the diet are particularly important for young sportsmen, including students of sport mastery schools.

The aim of the study was the evaluation of the diet supplementation used by the students of sport mastery school in Western Pomeranian district.

The study was carried out in the group of 76 students, aged 15 to 19, practicing walleyball (girls n = 39) and football (boys n = 37) at the sport mastery school in Police (western Pomeranian district). The interview method has been applied. A significance of differences, for the analysed factor, due to a sport discipline practiced was calculated based on Chi2 (Statistica 9).

The results of the study confirmed the students of sport mastery school to supplement their diets. The diet supplementation being more frequent for boys (67.6%) with magnesium (57-64%) noted as the most frequently used supplement, followed with vitamin-mineral agents and L-carnitine. Essential differences were noted for reasons of diet supplementation and sources of information used on supplements between the sport disciplines practiced.

It can be stated, based on the obtained results, that for supplementation of the diet among students of sport mastery school in Police is popular, even though there was no previous recognition of its necessity. The most frequent supplements users were football players with magnesium being the most frequently chosen supplement. Based on the above a regular training of sportsmen, including also coaches training young people, on the rational feeding habits would be advisable.