Evaluation of sweet potato consumption (Ipomoea potatoes) in bodybuilders

Introduction: The sweet potato (Ipomoea potatoes) is a vegetable that belongs to the Convolvulaceae family, a source of carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins, considered an excellent food option for practitioners of physical exercise. Objective: To evaluate the consumption of sweet potatoes by bodybuilders. Materials and methods: This are a cross-sectional, descriptive research with a quantitative approach, carried out in gyms in Caxias-MA. The consumption assessment was carried out through a questionnaire with multiple choice questions. The sample consisted of 98 interviewees, gym-goers, in which all agreed to participate in the study on a voluntary basis. The research was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee-CEP of the University Center for Science and Technology of Maranhao-UNIFACEMA with opinion No. 2,492,652. Results and discussion: Regarding the profile of those evaluated, 68% of bodybuilding practitioners were women, between the age group of 18 to 35 years, 54% attended higher education, and have one to three years of bodybuilding. Regarding the consumption of sweet potato, 89% stated that they consumed it, and that the most common form of preparation was cooked, in which the potato was used mainly for snacks, and 95% of the interviewees observed the conditions of this food before buying. Among the factors that influence the purchase of potatoes, 76% reported the nutritional value and 22% the consumption habit. Conclusion: The evaluated bodybuilders have the habit of consuming sweet potatoes, mainly cooked and in snacks, and during the purchase they considered the nutritional value, as a determining component for acquisition.