{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T23:13:38Z","timestamp":1788477218216,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,12]],"date-time":"2025-08-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1754956800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Taekwondo (TKD) athletes\u2019 nutritional and health statuses and body composition are critical to their physical performance and overall fitness. In Lebanon, TKD is widely practiced; however, there is a significant gap in the literature regarding the nutritional and health profiles of its athletes. This study aimed to assess the nutritional status, anemia prevalence, body composition, and other health-related characteristics, among Lebanese TKD athletes. Additionally, it explored the determinants of normal hemoglobin (Hb) levels, blood pressure, normal muscle mass, and normal fat mass. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and July 2023, involving 110 TKD athletes. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were measured to assess anemia, while body composition was evaluated using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Blood pressure was also recorded. Household dietary diversity was assessed using the Food Consumption Score, and additional data on sociodemographic factors, training frequency, and supplement or medication use were gathered through a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression models were applied to identify predictors of normal Hb levels, hypertension, and optimal muscle and fat mass. Results: Results showed that male athletes had significantly higher rates of normal Hb (p-value = 0.013) and muscle mass percentages (p-value &lt; 0.001), while females had higher rates of normal blood pressure (p-value = 0.002) and were more likely to use iron supplements (p-value = 0.002) and painkillers (p-value = 0.041). Normal fat mass was positively associated with normal Hb levels (aOR: 11.98, p-value = 0.033). Female gender was linked to a lower likelihood of normal muscle mass (aOR: 0.13, p-value &lt; 0.001) and hypertension (aOR: 0.19, p-value = 0.009). Higher training duration (10 h or more per week) (aOR: 3.46, p-value = 0.04) and normal BMI (aOR: 4.93, p-value = 0.003) were positively associated with normal muscle mass. Normal BMI (aOR: 14.68, p-value &lt; 0.001) was positively associated with normal fat mass. Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of individualized dietary interventions to enhance athletes\u2019 overall health and performance, through the optimization of athletes\u2019 body composition, and the prevention of deficiencies, especially iron deficiency.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/sports13080264","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,12]],"date-time":"2025-08-12T15:51:02Z","timestamp":1755013862000},"page":"264","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Assessment of Nutritional Status, Health Parameters, Body Composition, and Their Predictors in Lebanese Taekwondo Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7392-4835","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maha","family":"Hoteit","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"PHENOL Research Group (Public Health Nutrition Program-Lebanon), Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut 6573, Lebanon"},{"name":"Institut National de Sant\u00e9 Publique, d\u2019Epid\u00e9miologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban (INSPECT-LB), Beirut 1100, Lebanon"},{"name":"Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia 24005, Cyprus"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-7253-1630","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maroun","family":"Khattar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PHENOL Research Group (Public Health Nutrition Program-Lebanon), Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut 6573, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jennifer","family":"Derassoyan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PHENOL Research Group (Public Health Nutrition Program-Lebanon), Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut 6573, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yara","family":"Abou Khalil","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PHENOL Research Group (Public Health Nutrition Program-Lebanon), Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut 6573, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amal","family":"Haidar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PHENOL Research Group (Public Health Nutrition Program-Lebanon), Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut 6573, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rana","family":"Baroud","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PHENOL Research Group (Public Health Nutrition Program-Lebanon), Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut 6573, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Habib","family":"Zarifeh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Lebanese Taekwondo Federation, Sin el fil, Beirut 9099, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fadi","family":"Kibbeh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Education, University of Sciences and Arts in Lebanon, Beirut P.O. Box 13-5053, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-5893-8695","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nathalie","family":"Jbeily","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hassan","family":"Karaki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Therapy Department, Faculty of Public Health, Section I, Lebanese University, Beirut 6573, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6679-2296","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nikolaos","family":"Tzenios","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Public Health, Charisma University, London EC1V 7QE, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4985-8465","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zahra","family":"Sadek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Therapy Department, Faculty of Public Health, Section I, Lebanese University, Beirut 6573, Lebanon"},{"name":"Physical Therapy Department, Faculty of Public Health, Islamic University of Lebanon, Khaldeh P.O. Box 30014, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bailey, R.P., and Samsudin, N. (2025). Martial Arts and the problem of definition. Philosophies, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/philosophies10030055"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"(2025, August 04). WTKD\u2014World Taekwondo. Available online: https:\/\/www.maifhq.org\/wtkd---world-taekwondo.html#:~:text=Taekwondo%20is%20characterized%20by%20its,particularly%20in%20Kukkiwon%2Dstyle%20taekwondo."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"(2025, August 04). Available online: https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/sports\/taekwondo\/."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"(2025, June 05). What Is Taekwondo? Definition, History, Rules, and More. 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