The Effect of a Sports Nutrition Didactic Session on Division I Athletes

Abstract

Purpose: Each year thousands of athletes encounter medical problems (eg, syncopal episodes, stress fractures, anorexia, and bulimia) that could have been prevented if appropriate nutritional counseling was provided. This study aimed to investigate if a nutritional didactic intervention session was superior to providing athletes with nutritional booklet to increase nutritional knowledge. Methods and Study Design: This was a randomized prospective interventional study of 108 Division I athletes. All subjects given previously validated nutritional knowledge survey (Shifflet). Group 1 (N = 39) was given nutritional booklet (created by the authors) and a 1-hour didactic session from a sports nutritionist. Group 2 (N = 34) received booklet and 5-minute overview of booklet. Group 3 (N = 35) received booklet alone. Athletes retested 14 days later. A 1-way between subjects ANOVA conducted to compare pre- and post-test scores across all 3 groups. Results: Average pre-test scores for Group 1 was 8.0/20 (40%); Group 2: 7.0/ 20 (35%); Group 3: 8.2/20 (41%). Average post-test scores for Group 1 was 9.2/20 (46%); Group 2: 8.2 (41%); Group 3: 8.9 (45%). There was no statistically significant difference between groups (P > .05 level for 3 conditions, [F (2,105) = 1.80; P = 0.170] at pre-test (Time 1) nor post-test (Time 2) [F (2, 105) = 1.57; P = 0.213]. However, the mean change score from pre-test to post-test increased across all 3 treatment groups. Group 1 mean score increased from 8.0 to 9.2; Group 2 mean score increased from 7.09 to 8.2; Group 3 mean score increased from 8.2 to 8.9. Conclusions: A single sports nutrition didactic session did not increase nutritional knowledge above and beyond providing nutritional booklet alone. Significance of Findings: A single nutrition didactic session is not sufficient enough to educate athletes about proper nutritional habits to remain at a peak level of performance. Athletes may require multiple sessions in order to accomplish this goal.