Hanford, Katie
(2024)
Improving Sports Nutrition Knowledge and Behavior in High School Student-Athletes.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
High school student-athletes often contend with intense pressure to excel academically and athletically, yet frequently lack adequate support in nutrition education and guidance. This absence is particularly concerning given the critical growth and development phase these athletes undergo,
coupled with the strenuous physical demands they face. This study addresses the lack of sports nutrition knowledge (SNK) and habits among student-athletes at Carlisle High School, focusing on the girls' basketball team. Through a three-session nutrition education intervention conducted between October and December 2024, the study aimed to assess the impact on student-athletes' nutrition knowledge, food selection for pre-activity fueling, and coaches' perceptions of the intervention's effects. Measures included pre/post nutrition knowledge surveys, pre-activity fueling forms, and a coach interview. Results revealed a 38.1% increase in student-athletes' sports nutrition knowledge, with an average 36.2% growth observed among students and coaches combined. Notably, student-athletes showed the most significant growth in understanding pre-activity fueling, with a 57.1% increase. No notable improvements were observed in student-athlete behavior through pre-activity fueling forms. This study demonstrates the efficacy of three nutrition education sessions in enhancing student-athletes' knowledge and highlights the need for continued research with this population. Suggestions for future studies include refining measures to track behavior changes and exploring additional interventions to bolster sports nutrition practices among high school student-athletes. Despite the small sample size, this research contributes to existing literature, demonstrating the feasibility of improving nutrition knowledge in student-athletes through tailored nutrition education sessions.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
8 July 2024 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
25 April 2024 |
| Approval Date: |
8 July 2024 |
| Submission Date: |
8 July 2024 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
114 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Education > Health, Physical, Recreational Education |
| Degree: |
EdD - Doctor of Education |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
High school student-athletes, nutrition education |
| Date Deposited: |
08 Jul 2024 18:16 |
| Last Modified: |
08 Jul 2024 18:16 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/46660 |
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