Nutritional misinformation may hinder healthy attitudes and impair athlete´s performance. PURPOSE:To compare the frequency of right understanding and behaviour on nutritional related issues among male and female elite Brazillian athletes. METHODS: A total of 128 athletes, age 24.4±4.5 yrs, (61 males) who competed various modalities at international competitions participated in the study. The frequency of right answers (based on scientific literature) and the odds ratios for the association with sex were calculated. RESULTS: The table shows the frequency of right answers by sex.

Questions	Female (%)	Male (%)	OR
Understanding questions
Is it important to eat more calories on more intensive training days?	56.7	65.5	0.68
Is it important to adjust the calories intake on rest days?	77.6	75.4	1.13
Do proper dietary recommendations benefit the athlete?	53.7	45.9	1.36
Is it important to eat fruits and vegetables as a source of vitamins and minerals?	7.4	14.7	0.46
Are dairy products sources of calcium and vitamin D?	74.6	80.3	0.72
Is water sufficient to replace all that is lost in sweat?	8.9	3.2	2.90
Is it important to eat in the first 45-60 minutes after training?	32.8*	8.1	5.47
Behaviour Questions
I increase carbohydrate consumption before competitions	30.3	41.6	0.60
I try to consume a lot of protein regardless of origin	48.4	49.1	0.97
I have protein supplements prescriptions by qualified professionals.	59.7	70	0.63
I Take sports drink	70.1	77	0.70

*p<0,05 (female% >male%), OD = odds ratios
The only significant sex difference was the higher misunderstanding of males regarding the attitude towards the importance of eating after training. Depending on the questions, there was a large range in the % of adequate answers. CONCLUSION: A screening questionnaire, as used in the present study, may therefore guide to identify some specific aspects that deserve more focus in an educational intervention.