SPORTS MOTIVATION, ANXIETY AND DIET IN EDUCATION STUDENTS

Motivational development with regards to sport plays a fundamental role in sport performance, however, anxiety and dietary patterns also play a key role. In consideration of the above, the present research aimed to develop an explanatory model of the motivational climate towards sport and its relationship with the Mediterranean diet and anxiety. This structural model was then examined according to gender using multi-group analysis. To this end, a cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative study was carried out with 556 university students. The instruments used were a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ-2), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Predimed questionnaire. Finally, outcomes revealed that the female gender had a negative relationship with adherence to a healthy dietary pattern, whilst males showed better adherence to the Mediterranean diet and higher levels of anxiety.