Impacto do acompanhamento com profissional nutricionista nos sintomas gastrointestinais, físicos e de bem-estar relacionados à prática de exercício físico em adultos

Abstract

Regular physical exercise is essential for improving quality of life. It should be combined with proper nutrition to reduce the occurrence of discomfort symptoms during and after workouts. A nutritionist is the professional trained to propose appropriate nutritional strategies based on individual needs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of follow-up with a nutritionist on the prevalence of discomfort symptoms related to nutrition and physical exercise in adults.. This was a cross-sectional study with a descriptive and quantitative-qualitative approach. The study involved 170 adults aged 18 to 59 years who were regular exercisers. Participants individually completed an online questionnaire on Google Forms, where personal data, exercise characteristics, dietary consumption, and discomfort symptoms were analyzed. For statistical analysis, participants were divided into groups based on whether they received follow-up from a nutritionist. Specific tests were used for categorical and quantitative data, with p<0.05 considered significant. Discomfort symptoms were reported by 74.12% of participants, which were less frequent among those receiving nutritionist follow-up (27.65%), particularly highlighting fatigue/exhaustion and hunger (p<0.05). In the group with nutritionist follow-up, there was a higher frequency of training instructions, longer training duration over the years, lower frequency of consumption of cereals, roots, and tubers, and higher frequency of supplement use and food intolerances. Pre-training nutrition was similar across groups and with dietary values close to recommendations. It was concluded that follow-up with a nutritionist contributed to a lower occurrence of general discomfort, as well as fatigue/exhaustion and hunger among physical exercise practitioners. It is therefore considered that nutritionist follow-up is crucial for better dietary planning, with appropriate timings and meals suited to the type of training and individual characteristics, to avoid discomfort related to physical exercise.