Sport Nutrition Knowledge And Perceptions Of Dietary Requirements Among A Diverse Cohort Of Collegiate Athletes.

Previous research has indicated collegiate athletes commonly self-report deficient daily energy and macronutrient intakes per the requirements for their level of training. The current level of nutrition knowledge among collegiate athletes and their perceived nutritional requirements is currently unknown. PURPOSE: To assess the nutrition knowledge and identify the discrepancies that exist between the perceived energy and macronutrient needs of collegiate athletes compared to calculated nutritional recommendations. METHODS: Forty-two NCAA Division III female (height: 169.9 ± 6.9 cm; body mass: 67.1 ± 8.6 kg; fat-free mass: 51.3 ± 6.6 kg; body fat %: 24.2 ± 5.3%) and 25 male (height: 180.8 ± 7.2 cm; body mass: 89.2 ± 20.5 kg; fat-free mass: 75.9 ± 12.2 kg; body fat %: 13.5 ± 8.9%) athletes had body composition assessed via air displacement plethysmography and completed a validated questionnaire designed to assess sport nutrition knowledge. Athletes also answered questions about perceived dietary requirements based on the current level of training for their sport. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare differences between calculated and perceived dietary needs. One-way analysis of variance was used to assess differences in nutrition questionnaire scores between sexes. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. RESULTS: Athletes answered 47.98 ± 11.29 % of questions correctly on the nutrition questionnaire with no differences observed between sexes (Males: 49.52 ± 11.76% vs. Females: 47.03 ± 11.04%; p = 0.40). All players significantly underestimated daily energy (-578 ± 104.9 kcal/d, p < 0.001) and carbohydrate (-283.7 ± 141.8 g/d, p < 0.001) requirements when compared to calculated daily values. CONCLUSIONS: NCAA Division III collegiate athletes have a low level of sport nutrition knowledge. Players also significantly underestimated their energy and carbohydrate requirements based on the demands of their sport. Emphasis should be place on incorporating a sport nutrition education intervention for collegiate athletes to improve their understanding of key dietary strategies for athletes.