Edukasi Gizi tentang Body Image dan Perilaku Makan melalui Permainan UTAGI pada Atlet Handball Kota Palembang

Unhealthy eating behaviors can lead to eating disorders and are related to body image issues, especially among athletes. Therefore, preventive efforts are needed, such as engaging and curiosity-stimulating nutrition education through UTAGI (Ular Tangga Gizi) games. This study aims to determine the effect of nutrition education through UTAGI games on the knowledge and attitudes of handball athletes in Palembang City. The research method used is Quasy-Experimental with a pre-test post-test control group design, conducted on 58 respondents, consisting of 29 treatment group and 29 control group respondents. The sampling technique used is total sampling. The variables studied are knowledge and attitudes based on pre-test and post-test scores. The influence analysis uses the Wilcoxon test and Mann-Whitney test. The results showed that there was an increase in knowledge about body image and eating behaviors to 96.6% and a positive attitude to 82.8% after the intervention. The Wilcoxon test results for knowledge and attitude showed p=0.000 (p<0.05), indicating a significant difference before and after the intervention. The Mann-Whitney test results showed p=0.000 (p<0.05), indicating the effect of nutrition education using UTAGI media on the knowledge and attitudes of athletes. UTAGI games are effective in enhancing knowledge and attitudes about body image and eating behaviors, making them an efficient educational medium for conveying information to athletes.