Assessing Sports Nutrition Knowledge of Adolescent Atheltes and their Parents: An Intervention Approach

<p>The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a sports nutrition intervention on nutrition knowledge and dietary choices among adolescent female soccer players and their parents. Participants from this study were year-round, travelling soccer team members recruited from the Augusta Arsenal Soccer Club in addition to one parent of the minor (n=38). Adolescent athlete participants in the study completed a demographic survey including information on their age, school grade, position typically played, years in sport, whether or not they participated in any other sports, and if they had ever taken a nutrition class. In addition, a parent demographic survey was administered to obtain parents age, highest level of education, nutrition background, whether or not they previously played sports and who typically prepared meals at home. All participants completed a twenty-three item sports nutrition questionnaire (Zinn et al., 2005). The adolescent athlete participants also completed a three-day food record on two separate occasions. In a randomized design, participants were placed in the intervention group (n=18) or control group (n=20). Participants in the intervention group (n=18) attended nutrition education sessions for four weeks, lasting 20-30 minutes in duration. The following sports nutrition topics were discussed: carbohydrates, protein needs, vitamins/minerals, hydration, and recovery. After the intervention period, all participants were asked to submit a second set of three-day food records and complete the twenty-three item sports nutrition questionnaire once more. Results of the adolescent athlete’s sports nutrition knowledge questionnaire indicated that there was a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in general nutrition knowledge (P=0.008) with the intervention group scoring significantly higher compared to the control group (11.11 ± 23.64; 4.70 ± 27.89). For general nutrition knowledge, a significant interaction was seen between the intervention and the control groups pre to post intervention period (P</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Kinesiology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Health and Kinesiology

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• Hawk, Meredith F

Contributors dc:contributor

• Barry Joyner
• Kristina Kendall

• ETD
• Adolescent female Athletes
• Sports Nutrition Knowledge
• Nutrition Intervention
• Sports Nutrition Questionnaire
• Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1176

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-2238