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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
O objetivo desta investigação é compreender as perceções dos instrutores de fitness e
personal trainers sobre as suas qualificações e competência para a prescrição de
suplementos alimentares. Para isso, foi aplicado um questionário a 154 instrutores de
fitness e personal trainers que desempenham funções profissionais em health
clubs/ginásios em Portugal. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a venda destes produtos
em ginásios é vista como um estímulo ao seu consumo e que os profissionais de fitness, na
sua maioria, consideram que não existe competência dos profissionais desta área para a
prescrição deste tipo de serviço. A falta de confiança no conhecimento sobre
suplementação alimentar; uma licenciatura com currículo frágil sobre estas matérias;
bem como a escassa quantidade de Unidades Curriculares relacionadas com a
suplementação alimentar são possíveis razões para estes profissionais não se sentirem
seguros em realizar aconselhamentos relacionados a suplementação alimentar. No que se
refere às formas de atualização de conhecimento, embora estes profissionais considerem
as revistas académicas, conferências, congressos e cursos de nutrição como sendo as
fontes de informação mais confiáveis, estes recorrem com mais frequência à Internet,
ainda que esta tenha sido considerada por eles como a fonte menos confiável. Estes
resultados podem ter implicações diretas em vários stakeholders, nomeadamente para os
consumidores ficarem mais esclarecidos quanto às vantagens/desvantagens que podem
envolver o consumo dos suplementos alimentares sem a devida orientação; aos
profissionais de fitness que possuem pouco conhecimento sobre este tipo de substâncias;
aos gestores de ginásios que precisam perceber as implicações da comercialização deste
tipo de produto dentro dos seus estabelecimentos; às Instituições de Ensino para que
reflitam e organizem os seus currículos académicos de forma a fornecer bases suficientes
para que os profissionais de fitness se sintam seguros e confiantes acerca do conhecimento
sobre esta temática; e ainda, para os fabricantes destes produtos, no sentido de
melhorarem a informação e segurança das substâncias que colocam no mercado.
The aim of this research is to understand the perceptions of fitness instructors and personal trainers about their qualifications and competence for prescribing food supplements. To this end, a questionnaire was applied to 154 fitness instructors and personal trainers who perform professional functions in health clubs/gyms in Portugal. The results obtained showed that the sale of these products in gyms is seen as a stimulus to their consumption and those fitness professionals, for the most part, consider that there is no competence of professionals in this area to prescribe this type of service. The lack of confidence in the knowledge about food supplementation; a degree with a fragile curriculum on these subjects; as well as the scarce amount of Curricular Units related to food supplementation are possible reasons for these professionals not to feel safe in advising related to food supplementation. Regarding the ways of updating knowledge, although these professionals consider academic journals, conferences, congresses and nutrition courses to be the most reliable sources of information, they make more frequent use of the Internet, even though it has been considered by them as the least reliable source. These results may have direct implications on several stakeholders, namely for consumers to become more aware of the advantages/disadvantages that can involve consuming food supplements without proper guidance; for fitness professionals who have little knowledge about this type of substances; for gym managers who need to understand the implications of marketing this type of product within their establishments; Educational Institutions to reflect and organize their academic curricula in order to provide sufficient basis for fitness professionals to feel safe and confident about the knowledge on this subject; and also, for the manufacturers of these products, to improve the information and safety of the substances they place on the market.
The aim of this research is to understand the perceptions of fitness instructors and personal trainers about their qualifications and competence for prescribing food supplements. To this end, a questionnaire was applied to 154 fitness instructors and personal trainers who perform professional functions in health clubs/gyms in Portugal. The results obtained showed that the sale of these products in gyms is seen as a stimulus to their consumption and those fitness professionals, for the most part, consider that there is no competence of professionals in this area to prescribe this type of service. The lack of confidence in the knowledge about food supplementation; a degree with a fragile curriculum on these subjects; as well as the scarce amount of Curricular Units related to food supplementation are possible reasons for these professionals not to feel safe in advising related to food supplementation. Regarding the ways of updating knowledge, although these professionals consider academic journals, conferences, congresses and nutrition courses to be the most reliable sources of information, they make more frequent use of the Internet, even though it has been considered by them as the least reliable source. These results may have direct implications on several stakeholders, namely for consumers to become more aware of the advantages/disadvantages that can involve consuming food supplements without proper guidance; for fitness professionals who have little knowledge about this type of substances; for gym managers who need to understand the implications of marketing this type of product within their establishments; Educational Institutions to reflect and organize their academic curricula in order to provide sufficient basis for fitness professionals to feel safe and confident about the knowledge on this subject; and also, for the manufacturers of these products, to improve the information and safety of the substances they place on the market.
Description
Keywords
Aconselhamento Nutricional Conhecimento Consumo Currículo Formação Contínua Habilitações Nutrição Suplementação Alimentar