Sport Nutrition Knowledge And Perceptions Of Dietary Requirements Among A Diverse Cohort Of Collegiate Athletes.

Nutrition knowledge is a critical component of meeting sport nutrition guidelines. The present study aimed to evaluate the sport nutrition knowledge of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III (DIII) athletes using a validated questionnaire, and to assess the dietary practices and sources of nutrition information in this population. A total of 331 student-athletes (n = 149 males, n = 181 females, n = 1 no sex indicated) completed the questionnaire. The mean score for total sport nutrition knowledge was 6.49 ± 8.9 (range −49 to 49) with a mean percent (%) correct score of 36.9 ± 19.1%. Athletes who had a previous college-level nutrition course (n = 62) had significantly higher (p < 0.05) total sport nutrition, carbohydrate, and hydration knowledge compared to those who did not (n = 268). Individual sport athletes (n = 90) scored significantly higher (p < 0.05) on hydration and micronutrients knowledge than team sport athletes (n = 237), while females scored higher than males for hydration knowledge (p < 0.05). The majority of athletes reported sensible dietary habits, such as not frequently skipping meals and eating carbohydrate and protein foods peri-workout. Athletes also reported their primary sources of nutrition information, the top three sources being social media, coaches, and athletic trainers, despite most frequently rating registered dietitians/nutritionists as “extremely knowledgeable”. Despite low sport nutrition knowledge, NCAA DIII collegiate athletes practiced seemingly prudent dietary habits but lacked exposure to high-quality sources of nutrition information.

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The Influence of Sport Nutrition Knowledge on Body Composition and Perceptions of Dietary Requirements in Collegiate Athletes

10.20944/preprints202105.0505.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew Jagim ◽

Jennifer B. Fields ◽

Meghan Magee ◽

Chad Kerksick ◽

Joel Luedke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Body Weight ◽

Body Mass ◽

Body Fat ◽

Fat Mass ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Fat Free Mass ◽

Sport Nutrition ◽

Division Iii

Sport nutrition knowledge has been shown to influence dietary habits of athletes. The purpose of the current study was to examine relationships between sport nutrition knowledge and body composition and examine potential predictors of body weight goal in collegiate athletes. Participants included National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III women (n=42, height: 169.9 ± 6.9 cm; body mass: 67.1 ± 8.6 kg; fat-free mass: 51.3 ± 6.6 kg; body fat %: 24.2 ± 5.3%) and men (n=25, height: 180.8 ± 7.2 cm; body mass: 89.2 ± 20.5 kg; fat-free mass: 75.9 ± 12.2 kg; body fat %: 13.5 ± 8.9%) athletes. Body composition was assessed via air displacement plethysmography. Athletes completed a validated questionnaire designed to assess sport nutrition knowledge and were asked questions about their perceived dietary energy and macronutrient requirements, as well as their body weight goal (i.e. lose, maintain, gain weight). Athletes answered 47.98 ± 11.29 % of questions correctly on the nutrition questionnaire with no differences observed between sexes (men: 49.52 ± 11.76% vs. women: 47.03 ± 11.04%; p=0.40). An inverse relationship between sport nutrition knowledge scores and body fat percentage (r = -0.330; p=0.008), and fat mass (r = -.268; p=0.032) was observed for all athletes. Fat mass (β = 0.224), BF % (β = 0.217), and BMI (β = 0.421) were all significant (p&lt;0.05) predictors of body weight goal in women. All athletes significantly (p&lt;0.001) underestimated daily energy (-1,360 ± 610.2 kcal/d), carbohydrate (-301.6 ± 149.2 g/d), and fat (-41.4 ± 34.5 g/d) requirements. Division III collegiate athletes have a low level of sport nutrition knowledge, which was associated with a higher BF %. Women athletes with a higher body weight, BF % and BMI were more likely to select weight loss as a body weight goal. Athletes also significantly underestimated their energy and carbohydrate requirements based upon the demands of their sport, independent of sex.

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The Influence of Sport Nutrition Knowledge on Body Composition and Perceptions of Dietary Requirements in Collegiate Athletes

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13072239 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 2239

Author(s):

Andrew R. Jagim ◽

Jennifer B. Fields ◽

Meghan Magee ◽

Chad Kerksick ◽

Joel Luedke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Body Weight ◽

Body Mass ◽

Body Fat ◽

Fat Mass ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Fat Free Mass ◽

Sport Nutrition ◽

Division Iii

Sport nutrition knowledge has been shown to influence dietary habits of athletes. The purpose of the current study was to examine relationships between sport nutrition knowledge and body composition and examine potential predictors of body weight goals in collegiate athletes. Participants included National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III women (n = 42, height: 169.9 ± 6.9 cm; body mass: 67.1 ± 8.6 kg; fat-free mass: 51.3 ± 6.6 kg; body fat per cent: 24.2 ± 5.3%) and men (n = 25, height: 180.8 ± 7.2 cm; body mass: 89.2 ± 20.5 kg; fat-free mass: 75.9 ± 12.2 kg; body fat per cent: 13.5 ± 8.9%) athletes. Body composition was assessed via air displacement plethysmography. Athletes completed a validated questionnaire designed to assess sport nutrition knowledge and were asked questions about their perceived dietary energy and macronutrient requirements, as well as their body weight goal (i.e., lose, maintain, gain weight). Athletes answered 47.98 ± 11.29% of questions correctly on the nutrition questionnaire with no differences observed between sexes (men: 49.52 ± 11.76% vs. women: 47.03 ± 11.04%; p = 0.40). An inverse relationship between sport nutrition knowledge scores and body fat percentage (BF%) (r = –0.330; p = 0.008), and fat mass (r = –.268; p = 0.032) was observed for all athletes. Fat mass (β = 0.224), BF% (β = 0.217), and body mass index (BMI) (β = 0.421) were all significant (p < 0.05) predictors of body weight goal in women. All athletes significantly (p < 0.001) underestimated daily energy (–1,360 ± 610.2 kcal/day), carbohydrate (–301.6 ± 149.2 grams/day [g/day]), and fat (–41.4 ± 34.5 g/day) requirements. Division III collegiate athletes have a low level of sport nutrition knowledge, which was associated with a higher BF%. Women athletes with a higher body weight, BF% and BMI were more likely to select weight loss as a body weight goal. Athletes also significantly underestimated their energy and carbohydrate requirements based upon the demands of their sport, independent of sex.

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Does a Once-weekly Food Education Program Improve Sport Nutrition Knowledge of High School Football Players in Rural, Appalachian Mississippi?

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ◽

10.1016/j.jand.2020.06.066 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 120 (9) ◽

pp. A78

Author(s):

K. Tarr ◽

P. Sandha ◽

D. Holben

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Education Program ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sport Nutrition ◽

Football Players ◽

High School Football ◽

Food Education

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Changes in Sport Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes/Beliefs and Behaviors Following a Two-Year Sport Nutrition Education and Life-Skills Intervention among High School Soccer Players

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10111636 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1636 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Megan Patton-Lopez ◽

Melinda Manore ◽

Adam Branscum ◽

Yu Meng ◽

Siew Wong

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Life Skills ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sport Nutrition ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

The Impact

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.

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Development and Validation of a Short Sport Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire for Athletes

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12113561 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 3561

Author(s):

Karla Vázquez-Espino ◽

Carles Fernández-Tena ◽

Maria Antonia Lizarraga-Dallo ◽

Andreu Farran-Codina

Keyword(s):

Rating Scale ◽

Educational Interventions ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Test Theory ◽

Sport Nutrition ◽

Psychometric Validation ◽

Scale Model ◽

Nutritional Knowledge ◽

Validity And Reliability

Weak evidence exists on the relationship between nutritional knowledge and diet quality. Many researchers claim that this could be in part because of inadequate validation of the questionnaires used. The aim of this study was to develop a compact reliable questionnaire on nutrition knowledge for young and adult athletes (NUKYA). Researchers and the sport clubs medical staff developed the questionnaire by taking into consideration the latest athlete dietary guidelines. The questionnaire content was validated by a panel of 12 nutrition experts, and finally tested by 445 participants including athletes (n = 264), nutrition students (n = 49) and non-athletes with no formal nutrition knowledge (n = 132). After consulting the experts, 59 of the 64 initial items remained in the questionnaire. To collect the evaluation of experts, we used the content validity index, obtaining high indices for relevance and ambiguity (0.99) as well as for clarity and simplicity (0.98). The final questionnaire included 24 questions with 59 items. We ensured construct validity and reliability through psychometric validation based on the Classical Test Theory and the Item–Response Theory (Rasch model). We found significant statistical differences comparing the groups of nutrition knowledgeable participants with the rest of the groups (ANOVA p < 0.001). We verified the questionnaire for test–retest reliability (R = 0.895, p < 0.001) and internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.849). We successfully fit the questionnaire data to a rating scale model (global separation reliability of 0.861) and examined discrimination and difficulty indices for items. Finally, we validated the NUKYA questionnaire as an effective tool to appraise nutrition knowledge in athletes. This questionnaire can be used for guiding in educational interventions, studying the influence of nutrition knowledge on nutrient intake and assessing/monitoring sport nutritional knowledge in large groups.

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Effectiveness of Nutrition Education Intervention on General and Sport Nutrition Knowledge in Youth-academy Soccer Players

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ◽

10.1016/j.jand.2019.06.125 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 119 (9) ◽

pp. A46

Author(s):

J. Wade ◽

M. Sotos-Prieto ◽

K. Orben ◽

J. Gonzalez-Rodenas ◽

R. Brannan

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sport Nutrition ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Education Intervention

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Dietary Intake, Body Composition, and Nutrition Knowledge of Irish Dancers

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science ◽

10.12678/1089-313x.24.3.105 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 105-112

Author(s):

Jasmine Challis ◽

Roisin Cahalan ◽

Phil Jakeman ◽

Orfhlaith Nibhriain ◽

Linda Cronin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Sport Nutrition ◽

Full Time ◽

Dietary Intakes ◽

Intensive Training ◽

Knowledge Questionnaire ◽

Food Diaries ◽

High Level

Irish dance requires lengthy, intensive training to perform at a high level in competitions and professionally. Irish dancers have been known to have high injury rates. Appropriate nutrient and fluid intakes have been shown to minimize the risk of fatigue and injury during training and performance in sport, but there is a lack of evidence as to whether and how this might apply in Irish dance. Forty adult Irish dancers, 35 females (age 21 ± 3 years) and five males (aged 27 ± 8 years), professionals or in full time training, were recruited for this study to investigate nutrition knowledge, dietary intake, and body composition. Participants were asked to complete "The Sport Nutrition Questionnaire," a sport- and dance-specific nutrition knowledge questionnaire, 4 day estimated food diaries, and under-take a dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to assess body composition. Food diaries were analyzed using Dietplan 7. Reported energy, fiber, iron (females), magnesium (females), selenium, iodine (females), and folate (females) intakes were below United Kingdom dietary reference values. Fruit and vegetable intakes were low: 2.7 ± 1.4 portions per day. Sixteen percent of days reported contained no fruits or vegetables. Mean body mass index (BMI) for 35 female participants was 23.2 ± 3.3 kg/m2, mean BMI for five male participants was 22.2 ± 1.6 kg/m2. Mean body fat measured by DXA in 18 female participants was 33.4% ± 6.9%, which was higher than seen in other dance populations. Mean lean mass was 40.8 ± 5.6 kg. Mean score for the nutrition knowledge questionnaire in which the maximum score is 65, was 30.5 ± 7.6 (47% ± 11.7%), range: 9 to 44 (14% to 68%). The ability of the Irish dancers to correctly identify foods as being high or low in carbohydrate, protein, and fat varied widely. Body composition did not correlate with intake of any nutrient but did correlate with nutrition knowledge questionnaire score (r = -.663, p < 0.001). Given the dietary intakes and nutrition knowledge exhibited by the dancers in this study, further work is needed to inform and improve diets and support the demands of Irish dance.

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