Journal of Life Sciences 11 (2017) 65-73 doi: 10.17265/1934-7391/2017.02.002 Nutritional Knowledge and Behavior of Professional Athletes in Khorramabad Mahnaz Mardani 1 , Behzad Bazgir 2 , Akram Beigi Bazgir 3 , Hossein Mansurnezhad 4 and Maryam Rezapour 5 1. Nutritional Health Research Center, Department of Health & Nutrition, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran 2. Exercise Physiology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran 3. Department of Health & Nutrition, Lorestan University of Medical Science, Iran 4. Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Faculty of literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran 5. Department of Pharmacy, Arvand Branch of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Abstract: Today it is proved that the lack of adequate nutritional knowledge leads to problems such as obesity, overweight and increased cardiovascular diseases. However, many obstacles such as poor financial support, lack of time and poor nutritional knowledge can influence achievement of optimal nutrition which is proportional to the level of the athlete’s physical activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of nutritional knowledge and dietary behavior of athletes in Khorramabad in 2013. Professional athletes of Khorramabad, Iran, with more than one year of regular exercise and at least one course participating in national championships competitions were studied in this cross-sectional, descriptive-analytic study. The samples included 247 athletes aged 17-29 years. Their nutritional knowledge and behavior were measured by the nutritional knowledge and behavior inventory. Results: The results showed a significant difference in nutritional knowledge of athletes by gender and educational level; female athletes have higher nutritional knowledge than male athletes. A gender-dependent difference was found in nutritional behavior; despite their higher nutritional knowledge, female athletes have weaker nutritional behavior than male athletes. However, no significant correlation was found between BMI and nutritional knowledge and behavior of the athletes. Moreover, findings showed that nutritional knowledge and behavior could be significantly different in various sports. Key words: Sports, nutritional knowledge, nutritional behavior, Khorramabad. 1. Introduction The lifestyle changes associated with technological advances and industrial life consequentially changes the society’s nutrition, their type of food choice and mealtime. Moreover, organic food has been replaced by industrial products, which, along with the tendency to fast food restaurants, has considerably changed the health and the healthy diet of people. Research has shown that the lack of adequate nutritional knowledge could lead to problems such as obesity, overweight and increased cardiovascular diseases [1]. The main aims of participating in physical activities and sports Corresponding author: Mahnaz Mardani, associate professor, research field: nutrition. are to enhance the level of health, control weight and improve athletic performance. Sport and physical activity has beneficial effects on improved human body functions, including cardiovascular, respiratory, neuromuscular and gastrointestinal systems. Whereas, physical activity without healthy nutrition can cause weakness or dysfunction of various organs. However, many obstacles such as weak financial support, insufficient time and poor nutritional knowledge can affect an athlete’s optimal nutrition which is proportional to physical activity. Studies have shown that athletes still do not have enough knowledge on healthy nutrition; nutritional information is delivered through various sources such as coaches, teammates, D DAVID PUBLISHING