A web-based survey about protein supplementation amongstnet-surfers. An innovative approach using Protein ProjectGoogle App©

Web surveys present methodological challenges including lower responserates as compared to other survey methods like face to face interview,self reports using questionnaire and phone interview. The efficacy and appropriateness of design elements of invitations to participatein a web survey is not yet well understood for many reasons. To understandthe feasibility of this innovative approach, an experiment (ProteinProject) with key questions regarding protein supplementation was set upaccording to previous findings (Goston et al. 2004; Bianco et al. 2011).A Google App© was used to generate a questionnaire with seven-itemsand subsequently the created form was redirected to various social networksand fitness/wellness web communities (fitnessa360.com; iarfonline.com; facebook.com; twitter.com). The target of the Protein Projectwas 20/50 years old net-surfers (NS) that voluntarily and phishing free,visited the webpage and answered the questions. At this stag! e 326 NSparticipated to the study. As expected, the majority of them were male(63,40%) and the range of age more representative was 21-30 years(70,90%). Three to five hours (38,60%) sitting time was the most choseninterval from NS followed by 5-8 hour interval (31,20%). The resultsshow a percentage of 36,20 of protein supplement usage among NS, ofthese, 38,50% declare that have autonomously chosen to take them and32,30% that have been advised from their instructor. It is interesting tonote that despite the methodological approach is new with a low responserate, the results are in line with Goston’s and Bianco’s findings.What’s new in this approach is to collect a huge amount data with lowcosts, simple and direct procedures. The project at this stage leads to thevalidation so it needs to achieve the reliability of web page surveys (currentlyin Italian and English) hoping that future results will still remainin line with what already found in t! his pilot.References• Bianco A et al. (2011) Protein supplementation in strength and conditioningadepts: knowledge, dietary behavior and practice in Palermo,Italy. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. Dec 29;8(1):25.• Goston JL, Correia MI (2010) Intake of nutritional supplementsamong people exercising in gyms and influencing factors. Nutrition26:604-611• Morrison LJ, Gizis F, Shorter B (2004) Prevalent use of dietary supplementsamong people who exercise at a commercial gym. Int JSport Nutr Exerc Metab 14(4):481-92