Differences in nutrition knowledge and dietary intake among female runners upon completion of a nutrition education program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess changes in nutrition knowledge and dietary intake among university female cross country runners before and after the implementation of a nutrition education program. The nutrition education program consisted of three, one-hour sessions which addressed the following topics: general diet recommendations including carbohydrate, fat, protein, and the five food groups, iron status, fluids and hydration, amenorrhea, calcium intake and its effect on bone mass, and pathogenic weight control. Female cross country runners from Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, and Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana served as the experimental group, and Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana served as the control group. The educational component utilized a small group format in which information was communicated through presentations, handouts, and group discussion. Nutrition knowledge was assessed through a pre-study and post-study quiz which consisted of 22 multiple choice and true/false questions addressing general and sports nutrition knowledge. The nutrition education program significantly increased the nutrition knowledge for the experimental group (n = 9) from a mean pre-test score of 11.22 +/- 4.74 to a mean post-test score of 15.44 +/- 3.88 compared to controls. The quiz was developed with questions from two other quizzes used in previous research including Worme, et al., (1990) and Barr (1986). Dietary intake was evaluated using three-day diet records prior to and immediately following the nutrition education program. In addition, three experimental subjects and three control subjects completed follow-up diet records one month following the nutrition education program. There were no statistically significant changes in any of the 21 nutrients assessed; although three approached statistical significance: thiamin (p<0.05), dietary fiber (p<0.08) and saturated fat (p<0.07). Participants in the study seemed very receptive to the chosen topics but were especially interested in the topic of amenorrhea. Four subjects reported having amenorrhea in the past including one subject who was currently amenorrheic. It is important to educate athletes about nutrition and the effects on health, especially young females involved with sports in which body weight has an influence on performance. This study could be repeated in the future to further study dietary intake and how nutrition education affects eating behaviors over a long period of time.