Effects of a 5-week Nutrition Education Intervention on Collegiate Athletes' Knowledge and Dietary Intake

Abstract

Previous research has identified that collegiate athletes lack nutrition knowledge and practice poor nutrition behaviors. However, there is limited understanding on how to effectively address these areas of concern. The purpose of our study was to determine if a five-week nutrition education intervention positively impacted National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I intercollegiate athletes' sports nutrition knowledge and dietary intakes. Data for this pre test-post test randomized control group design study came from 32 male and female collegiate athletes. Athletes' nutrition knowledge was evaluated using a pre and post sports nutrition knowledge survey and their dietary intakes were evaluated through retrieving pre and post test 3-day food records. Subjects who participated in the 5-week sports nutrition education intervention showed a significant increase in nutrition knowledge at the conclusion of the intervention compared to their pre test nutrition knowledge and to the control group's post nutrition knowledge. However, the participants who participated in the 5-week nutrition education intervention did not significantly improve their dietary intakes toward their dietary recommendations for total energy, carbohydrate, protein, or fat.