Background:

This study aimed to determine the relationship between diet quality and nutrition knowledge (CN) and nutrition practices (NP) of people who perform physical activity (PA) regularly.

Methods:

Two hundred healthy individuals who attended the gym at least three times a week were studied. The quality of the diet is calculated using the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015). Linear regression models were used multiplex to assess associations between NC and PN scores and dietary variables.

Results:

Of the participants, 47.0% had poor NK and 48.0% were found to have poor NPs.It was determined that NP scores were significantly associated with whole grains, seafood, and herbal proteins and total diet quality (p<0.05), while the NK scores were not associated with diet quality or its components (p>0.05). A one-unit increase in the NK score resulted in a 26.7% increase in the consumption of snack meals adjusted for age, gender, educational level, body mass index(BMI), smoking status, alcohol consumption, and physical activity(PA)(p< 0.001). Assessment of the NP score was related to the main meals (β=0.065±0.013; 95%CI 0.04-0.09; p<0.001), consumption of snack meals (β=0.029±0.014, 95%CI 0.01-0.06; p<0.05), and total diet quality(β=0.894±0.329; 95%CI 0.24-1.54; p<0.05). Moreover, about 17% of the variability in the NP score could be explained by the NK scores.

Conclusions:

Elevated NK was associated with an increase in the NP scores and indirectly with an increase in diet quality. In order to see the beneficial effects of PA on health, individuals should be supported by a healthy diet, by increasing their NK.

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