Effectiveness of Sports Nutrition Education on Student-athlete Nutrition Knowledge

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a seven-week nutrition education intervention on the sports nutrition knowledge (SNK) of highly trained UK adolescent swimmers. Fifteen national and international adolescent swimmers (males = 5; females = 10, 15.5 ± 1.1 years, 170.2 ± 7.5 cm, 60.3 ± 5.7 kg) participated in the study during seven consecutive weeks of the competitive swimming season. The participants received 30 min of nutrition education once per week in a classroom-based setting after they had completed their regular swim training. An undergraduate sports nutrition student delivered all nutrition education sessions and SNK questionnaires were administered to the participants pre- and post-intervention. The mean total SNK score improved by 8.3% (SD = 8.4%, 95% CI = 4.1–12.6; p = 0.006; ES = 1.0) following the nutrition education sessions. On an individual basis, ten swimmers significantly improved their total SNK score, whereas four swimmers did not improve, and one swimmer performed significantly worse after the intervention. Moreover, the swimmers’ knowledge of hydration improved by 22.2% (SD = 20.6%, 95% CI = 11.8–32.6, p = 0.004, ES = 1.1) over the seven-week timeframe, which was the only nutrition topic to have a significantly increased knowledge score. The current study therefore suggests that a nutrition education intervention can positively influence the SNK of highly trained adolescent swimmers.

Download Full-text

Sports Nutrition Knowledge Among Collegiate Athletes, Coaches, Athletic Trainers, and Strength and Conditioning Specialists

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-47.2.205 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (2) ◽

pp. 205-211 ◽

Cited By ~ 81

Author(s):

Toni M. Torres-McGehee ◽

Kelly L. Pritchett ◽

Deborah Zippel ◽

Dawn M. Minton ◽

Adam Cellamare ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Athletic Trainers ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

The United States ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sports Nutrition ◽

Nutrition Information ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Registered Dietitians ◽

Strength And Conditioning

Context: Coaches, athletic trainers (ATs), strength and conditioning specialists (SCSs), and registered dietitians are common nutrition resources for athletes, but coaches, ATs, and SCSs might offer only limited nutrition information. Little research exists about sports nutrition knowledge and current available resources for nutrition information for athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs. Objective: To identify resources of nutrition information that athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs use; to examine nutrition knowledge among athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs; and to determine confidence levels in the correctness of nutrition knowledge questions within all groups. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II, and III institutions across the United States. Patients and Other Participants: The 579 participants consisted of athletes (n = 185), coaches (n = 131), ATs (n = 192), and SCSs (n = 71). Main Outcome Measure(s): Participants answered questions about nutrition resources and domains regarding basic nutrition, supplements and performance, weight management, and hydration. Adequate sports nutrition knowledge was defined as an overall score of 75% in all domains (highest achievable score was 100%). Results: Participants averaged 68.5% in all domains. The ATs (77.8%) and SCSs (81.6%) had the highest average scores. Adequate knowledge was found in 35.9% of coaches, 71.4% of ATs, 83.1% of SCSs, and only 9% of athletes. The most used nutrition resources for coaches, ATs, and SCSs were registered dietitians. Conclusions: Overall, we demonstrated that ATs and SCSs have adequate sports nutrition knowledge, whereas most coaches and athletes have inadequate knowledge. Athletes have frequent contact with ATs and SCSs; therefore, proper nutrition education among these staff members is critical. We suggest that proper nutrition programming should be provided for athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs. However, a separate nutrition program should be integrated for ATs and SCSs. This integrative approach is beneficial for the continuity of care, as both categories of professionals might be developing and integrating preventive or rehabilitative programs for athletes.

Download Full-text

Development and Implementation of a Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire for Ultraendurance Athletes

International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism ◽

10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0322 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 39-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Claire Blennerhassett ◽

Lars R. McNaughton ◽

Lorcan Cronin ◽

S. Andy Sparks

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Intraclass Correlation ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Knowledge Score ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sports Nutrition ◽

Sport Nutrition ◽

Nutritional Knowledge ◽

Knowledge Questionnaire ◽

Significant Difference

The nutritional intake of ultraendurance athletes is often poorly matched with the requirements of the sport. Nutrition knowledge is a mediating factor to food choice that could correct such imbalances. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire to assess the nutrition knowledge of ultraendurance athletes. Nutritional knowledge was assessed using a modified sports nutrition knowledge questionnaire (ULTRA-Q). Four independent assessors with specialization in sports nutrition confirmed the content validity of the ULTRA-Q. Registered sports nutritionists, registered dietitians, and those without nutrition training completed the ULTRA-Q on two separate occasions. After the first completion, a significant difference in nutrition scores between groups (p ≤ .001) provided evidence of construct validity. After the second completion, intraclass correlation coefficients comparing nutrition scores between time points (.75–.95) provided evidence of test–retest reliability. Subsequently, experienced ultraendurance athletes (male: n = 74 and female: n = 27) completed the ULTRA-Q. Athletes also documented their sources of nutrition knowledge for ultraendurance events. The total nutrition knowledge score for ultraendurance athletes was 68.3% ± 9.5%, and there were no significant differences in knowledge scores between males and females (67.4% ± 9.6% and 70.7% ± 9.3%, respectively) or between runners and triathletes (69.1% ± 9.7% and 65.1% ± 9.4%, respectively). In general, it appeared that ultraendurance athletes favored other athletes (73%) over nutrition experts (8%) as a source of nutritional information. The findings of this study indicate that ultraendurance athletes had a reasonable level of nutrition knowledge, but interathlete variability suggests a need for targeted nutrition education.

Download Full-text

The Platform to Evaluate Athlete Knowledge of Sports Nutrition Questionnaire: a reliable and valid electronic sports nutrition knowledge questionnaire for athletes

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114520004286 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Ryan Tam ◽

Kathryn Beck ◽

Justin Newton Scanlan ◽

Tanya Hamilton ◽

Tania Prvan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Content Validity ◽

Rasch Analysis ◽

Intraclass Correlation ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sports Nutrition ◽

Test Reliability ◽

Sign Test ◽

Valid Assessment

Abstract Reliable and valid assessment of sports nutrition knowledge can inform athlete nutrition education to address knowledge gaps. This study aimed to test the reliability and validity of an electronically administered sports nutrition knowledge tool – Platform to Evaluate Athlete Knowledge of Sports Nutrition Questionnaire (PEAKS-NQ). A 94-item PEAKS-NQ was piloted to 149 developmental athletes (DA) in New Zealand, with a subset invited to complete the PEAKS-NQ again to assess reliability. Reliability was evaluated using sign test, intraclass correlation and Cronbach’s α. Accredited sports dietitians (ASD; n 255) completed the PEAKS-NQ to establish construct validity via known-groups methodology and provided relevance scores to determine the scale content validity index (S-CVI). Rasch analysis was conducted to identify potentially problematic items and test reliability. Score differences between DA and ASD were analysed using independent t or non-parametric tests. DA (n 88) were 17·8 (sd 1·4) years, 61·4 % female and mostly in high school (94·3 %). ASD (n 45) were 37·8 (sd 7·6) years, 82·2 % female, with >5 years of dietetic experience (59·1 %). ASD scored higher than DA in all sections and overall (91·5 (sd 3·4) v. 67·1 (sd 10·5) %) (P < 0·001). There were no differences between retests (n 18; P = 0·14). Cronbach’s α was 0·86. S-CVI indicated good content validity (0·88). Rasch analysis resulted in a fifty-item PEAKS-NQ with high item (0·91) and person (0·92) reliability. The PEAKS-NQ is reliable and valid for assessing sports nutrition knowledge which could assist practitioners effectively tailor and evaluate nutrition education.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Sports Nutrition Knowledge and Recommendations Among High School Coaches

International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism ◽

10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0195 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 326-334 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Steven Couture ◽

Benoit Lamarche ◽

Eliane Morissette ◽

Veronique Provencher ◽

Pierre Valois ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sports Nutrition ◽

University Education ◽

Nutritional Knowledge ◽

High School Coaches ◽

Nutrition Practices ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Coaching Certification

The objectives of this study were to evaluate high school coaches’ knowledge in sports nutrition and the nutritional practices they recommend to their athletes. Forty-seven high school coaches in “leanness” and “non-leanness” sports from the greater region of Quebec (women = 44.7%) completed a questionnaire on nutritional knowledge and practices. “Leanness sports” were defined as sports where leanness or/and low bodyweight were considered important (e.g., cheerleading, swimming and gymnastics), and “non-leanness sports” were defined as sports where these factors are less important (e.g., football). Participants obtained a total mean score of 68.4% for the nutrition knowledge part of the questionnaire. More specifically, less than 30% of the coaches could answer correctly some general nutrition questions regarding carbohydrates and lipids. No significant difference in nutrition knowledge was observed between coaches from “leanness” and “non-leanness” sports or between men and women. Respondents with a university education scored higher than the others (73.3% vs. 63.3%, p < .05). Coaches who participated in coaching certification also obtained better results than those without a coaching certification. The most popular source of information about nutrition used by coaches was the Internet at 55%. The two most popular nutrition practices that coaches recommended to improve athlete performance were hydration and consumption of protein-rich foods. Recommendation for nutritional supplements use was extremely rare and was suggested only by football coaches, a nonleanness sport. Findings from this study indicate that coaches need sports nutrition education and specific training.

Download Full-text

Exploring General and Sports Nutrition and Food Knowledge in Elite Male Australian Athletes

International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism ◽

10.1123/ijsnem.2013-0259 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 225-232 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Brooke L. Devlin ◽

Regina Belski

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Knowledge Score ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sports Nutrition ◽

Food Sources ◽

Published Data ◽

Fat Intake ◽

Dietary Recommendations ◽

Nutrition Messages

Nutrition knowledge is believed to influence nutritional intake, which in turn influences performance in elite athletes. There is currently no published data on the nutrition knowledge of elite Australian Football (AF) players. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the current level of general and sports nutrition knowledge in elite male AF athletes. Forty six elite male AF players (23.5 ± 2.8 years) answered 123 questions relating to five areas of nutrition knowledge: dietary recommendations, sources of nutrients, choosing everyday foods, alcohol and sports nutrition. Demographic details and perceptions of nutrition knowledge were collected for all participants. The mean nutrition knowledge score was 74.4 ± 10.9 (60.5%). The highest score was obtained in sports nutrition section (17.9 ± 3.0, 61.7%). The dietitian was selected as the first source of information by 98% of athletes, with club trainer and teammates as second choice for 45.7% and 23.9% of athletes, respectively. The majority of athletes correctly answered questions regarding recommendations to increase fruit and vegetable intake and decrease fat intake (95.6%, 91.1% and 93.3% correct respectively). While 80% of the athletes were aware fat intake should predominately be made up of unsaturated fat, they were less able to identify food sources of unsaturated fats (35.6% and 24.4% correct for statements regarding monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, respectively). Broad nutrition messages and recommendations appear to be well understood; however, gaps in nutrition knowledge are evident. A better understanding of nutrition knowledge in athletes will allow nutrition education interventions to target areas in need of improvement.

Download Full-text

Sports nutrition knowledge and perceptions among professional basketball athletes and coaches in Lebanon-a cross-sectional study

BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1186/s13102-021-00280-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jocelyne Matar Boumosleh ◽

Catherine el Hage ◽

Antoine Farhat

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sports Nutrition ◽

Basketball Player ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adequate Nutrition ◽

Sports Clubs ◽

Study Participants

Abstract Background Basketball is the most popular sport in Lebanon. Adequate nutrition has been established to be a key component of optimal athletic performance, recovery from exercise and exercise-induced injury and documented to be associated with adequate nutrition knowledge (NK). In Lebanon, nutrition education is not incorporated into the basketball player training program and there is no established position for sports nutritionists in basketball clubs. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to evaluate the NK status of Division I Basketball (D1B) players /coaches in Lebanon. The objectives of this study are to assess the prevalence of inadequate NK; identify the gaps in NK, main sources of nutrition information, perceptions on sports nutrition and independent predictors of inadequate NK among D1B players and coaches in Lebanon. Methods All D1B players (n = 184) and coaches (n = 16) in Lebanon were invited to participate in the study. Study participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that included questions on NK, resources and perceptions. A percentage of ≥60% of NK questions answered correctly was used as indicative of having adequate NK. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the sample characteristics. The T-test and chi square test were used for comparisons of means and proportions, respectively. Logistic regression was used to explore the predictors of inadequate NK in D1B players. Results The sample consisted of 178 D1B players (nM = 126; nF = 52) and 11 male coaches, resulting in survey response rates of 97 and 69%, respectively. Inadequate NK was found among about 80 and 54% of D1B players and coaches, respectively. Inadequate NK was found to be independently associated with lack of nutrition education in D1B players. Conclusions Despite widespread lack of adequate NK among D1B players and coaches in Lebanon, our sports clubs do not have dietitians. Basketball sports clubs in Lebanon should start to budget for hiring a dietitian or carrying out nutrition education campaigns that are based on analyses of incorrect responses of our study participants. Findings of this study are of tremendous significance to D1B players in Lebanon in terms of improving the athletes’ physical health and performance.

Download Full-text