Brief Education Intervention Increases Nutrition Knowledge and Confidence of Coaches of Junior Australian Football Teams

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Belski ◽  
Alex Donaldson ◽  
Kiera Staley ◽  
Anne Skiadopoulos ◽  
Erica Randle ◽  
...  

This study evaluated the impact of a brief (20-min) nutrition education intervention embedded in an existing mandatory coach education course for coaches of junior (8–12 years old) Australian football teams. A total of 284 coaches (68% of 415 coaching course participants) completed a presession questionnaire, and 110 coaches (27% of coaching course participants) completed an identical postsession questionnaire. The responses to the pre- and postsession surveys were matched for 78 coaches. Coaches’ ratings of their own understanding of the nutritional needs of young athletes (6.81, 8.95; p < .001), the importance of young athletes adhering to a healthy diet (9.09, 9.67; p = .001), their confidence in their own nutrition knowledge (7.24, 8.64; p < .001), and their confidence in advising young athletes on nutrition and hydration practices (6.85, 8.62; p < .001), all significantly improved following the education session. Nearly all coaches (>95%) provided a correct response to six of the 15 nutrition and hydration knowledge questions included in the presession questionnaire. Even with this high level of presession knowledge, there was a significant improvement in the coaches’ nutrition and hydration knowledge after the education session across five of the 15 items, compared with before the education session. The results of this study suggest that a simple, short nutrition education intervention, embedded in an existing coach education course, can positively influence the nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy of community-level, volunteer coaches of junior sports participants.

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2249
Author(s):  
Heikkilä ◽  
Lehtovirta ◽  
Autio ◽  
Fogelholm ◽  
Valve

Athletes often have significant gaps in their nutrition knowledge. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether young Finnish endurance athletes’ nutrition knowledge and dietary intake can be improved through an education intervention with or without a mobile food application. Seventy-nine endurance athletes, 18.0 years (SD: 1.4), participated in this randomized, controlled intervention. We compared the effects of participatory nutrition education sessions alone (group EDU) to those including the use of a mobile food application (group EDU + APP) for four days after each session. Both groups attended three 90-min education sessions fortnightly. The participants completed a validated nutrition knowledge questionnaire in Weeks 0, 5, and 17, and a three-day food diary in Weeks 0 and 17. The education plan was based on the Self-Determination Theory and the concept of meaningful learning process. The EDU group’s nutrition knowledge scores were: 78 (week 0), 85 (week 5), and 84 (week 17) and the EDU + APP group’s 78, 86, and 85, respectively. Nutrition knowledge increased significantly (main effect of time (p < 0.001)), but we observed no significant group × time interaction (p = 0.309). The changes in dietary intakes were minor (p > 0.05). The amount of carbohydrates was below endurance athletes’ recommendations throughout the intervention. The reported energy intakes were also below the estimated energy expenditures. In conclusion, nutrition knowledge improved significantly after only three education sessions and food diary feedback, but the mobile app did not improve learning further. However, the nutrition education intervention alone was not enough to change dietary intake.


Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2965
Author(s):  
Aydin Nazmi ◽  
Marilyn Tseng ◽  
Derrick Robinson ◽  
Dawn Neill ◽  
John Walker

The ability to classify foods based on level of processing, not only conventional MyPlate food groups, might be a useful tool for consumers faced with a wide array of highly processed food products of varying nutritional value. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a proof-of-concept nutrition education intervention on nutrition knowledge, assessed by correct classification of foods according to MyPlate food groups, MyPlate ‘limit’ status (for fat, sugar, sodium), and level of processing (NOVA categories). We utilized a randomized, controlled design to examine the impact of a MyPlate vs. combined MyPlate + NOVA intervention vs. control group. Intervention groups received educational flyers via email and participants were assessed using electronic baseline and follow-up surveys. The MyPlate + NOVA intervention group performed at least as well as the MyPlate group on classifying conventional food groups and ‘limit’ status. Moreover, the MyPlate + NOVA group far outperformed the other groups on classifying NOVA categories. Longer-term trials are needed, but our results suggest that NOVA principles may be more easily understood and applied than those of MyPlate. Education strategies focusing on level of food processing may be effective in the context of the modern food environment.


Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Patton-Lopez ◽  
Melinda Manore ◽  
Adam Branscum ◽  
Yu Meng ◽  
Siew Wong

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a sport nutrition education and life-skills intervention on sport nutrition knowledge (SNK), attitudes/beliefs and dietary behaviors relevant to sport nutrition among high school (HS) soccer players. Three assessments were done over the 2-year intervention (baseline = time 1, end year 1 = time 2, end year 2 = time 3). Participants (n = 217; females = 64%; Latino = 47.5%; 14.9 ± 0.9-year; 46.5% National School Breakfast/Lunch Program) were assigned to an intervention group (IG, n = 153; 9 schools) or comparison group (CG, n = 64; 4 schools) based on geographical location. Differences over time were examined based on group, sex, socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity. The IG increased SNK scores by ~10% (time 1 = 51.6%; time 3 = 60.9%; p ≤ 0.001), with the greatest change in the female IG vs. CG and no differences in male IG vs. CG. Daily breakfast consumption was 53.7% in both groups. IG players were 3 times more likely (95%CI = 2.59, 7.77) to report trying to eat for performance (IG = 48.7% vs. CG = 30.2%). By time 3, IG players were less likely to report that ‘diet met nutritional requirements’ (31.6%) compared to CG (47.6%). For IG, the consumption of lunch (≥5-days/week) did not change (92.2–93.4%), but declined in the CG (90.6%) (p = 0.04). No other differences by sub-population (race/ethnicity, SES) were observed. Our findings indicate that HS athletes are motivated to learn and improve diet behaviors, and benefit from team-based nutrition interventions. Future interventions should consider delivery of curriculum/experiential learning during a defined training period, with messages reinforced with supports at home, school and athletic settings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjoy Saha ◽  
Wilna Oldewage-Theron

Abstract Objectives To assess the effectiveness of a behavior-specific nutrition education intervention (NEI) to promote dietary behavior factors related to fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption. Methods A pre-post design was used. The developed and implemented six-week NEI curriculum was informed by the social cognitive theory and comprised of class-based nutrition education (25 minutes once a week), and cooking demonstrations (20 minutes once a week) for children, and weekly nutrition handout for parents. Applying purposive sampling, 115 children (in grade 3rd -5th) were recruited from four elementary schools (where at least 40% of children were eligible to obtain free lunch) in the South Plains of Texas. Assessments included nutrition knowledge, F&V preference, F&V consumption and cooking self-efficacy questionnaires during pre- and post-intervention surveys. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used with level of significance at <0.05. Results Preliminary results show that the study variables (gender, grade, nutritional status, nutrition knowledge, F&V preference, self-efficacy of F&V consumption, and cooking) did not differ significantly during the pre-intervention survey, except for ethnicity (P < 0.001) among the participated elementary schools. Nutrition knowledge score (change mean score 7.61 ± 3.70), F&V preference (change mean score 5.63 ± 10.84), F&V consumption self-efficacy (change mean score 2.16 ± 3.05), and cooking self-efficacy (change mean score 5.34 ± 7.08) improved significantly (P < 0.05) after the intervention. There was no significant school variation in the changes of study parameters after the intervention. Conclusions Theory-informed and behavior-specific NEI may improve the children's knowledge and F&V preference and dietary behavior related to F&V consumption and cooking self-efficacy. Future research is needed to evaluate the retention of the nutrition knowledge and F&V consumption related behavior factors. Funding Sources Texas Tech University.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (8) ◽  
pp. 963-973
Author(s):  
Sanjoy Saha ◽  
John Dawson ◽  
Mary Murimi ◽  
Sara Dodd ◽  
Wilna Oldewage-Theron

Objective: To increase nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable preference, eating and cooking self-efficacy among 3rd- to 5th-grade students after a 6-week school-based nutrition education intervention. Design: Quasi-experimental pre–post design. Setting: Title I elementary schools, South Plains, West Texas. Method: A nutrition education curriculum informed by social cognitive theory was developed and implemented in four Title I elementary schools. A total of 115 children from 3rd to 5th grade (age range: 8–11 years) participated and completed both baseline and post-intervention surveys. The intervention included class-based nutrition education for 25 minutes, and a cooking and tasting session for 20 minutes each week. Nutrition handouts on fruit and vegetable were sent to parents. Face-to-face survey questionnaires were administered on nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable preference, fruit and vegetable eating and cooking self-efficacy during pre- and post-surveys. Changes in mean score of nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable preference, fruit and vegetable eating and cooking self-efficacy were analysed using paired t-tests. Results: Participants showed significant improvements in nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable preference, eating and cooking self-efficacy after the intervention. Conclusion: Study results suggest that a brief 6-week multi-component and school-based nutrition education intervention had the potential to engage students and create health-promoting behaviours.


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 3406-3419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydiah M Waswa ◽  
Irmgard Jordan ◽  
Johannes Herrmann ◽  
Michael B Krawinkel ◽  
Gudrun B Keding

AbstractObjectiveLack of diversity is a major factor contributing to inadequate nutrient intakes among children during the complementary feeding period in many rural areas in developing countries. This has been attributed to inadequate feeding practices and nutrition knowledge among their caregivers. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of an educational intervention on children’s dietary diversity and nutrition knowledge of caregivers.DesignCluster randomization was applied and twenty matched village pairs were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The nutrition education intervention consisted of four sessions comprising of group trainings and cooking demonstrations that were conducted over a period of 5 months.SettingHouseholds in rural communities in Bondo and Teso South sub-counties, western Kenya.SubjectsCaregivers with children aged 6–17 months receiving nutrition education.ResultsThe children’s dietary diversity scores (CDDS) and nutrition knowledge scores of the caregivers improved significantly in the intervention group at endline. The treatment effect on CDDS was positive and significant (P=0·001). The CDDS rate of the children in the intervention group was 27 % larger than it would have been without the treatment effect. The intervention also had a significant effect on the caregivers’ nutrition knowledge scores (incidence rate ratio=2·05; P<0·001). However, the nutrition knowledge of the caregivers did not have a significant effect on CDDS (P=0·731).ConclusionsThe nutrition education intervention led to improvements in children’s dietary diversity and nutrition knowledge of the caregivers.


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