Date of Award:

5-2021

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences

Department name when degree awarded

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science

Committee Chair(s)

Heidi Wengreen

Committee

Heidi Wengreen

Committee

Natalie Norris

Committee

Travis Dorsch

Abstract

Well-timed nutrition strategies are a well-established way to improve athletic performance and minimize recovery time, however, athletes often do not prioritize nutrition as a strategy to gain an edge over their competitors. Even with a resource such as a Fueling Station, which provides athletes with nutrient dense, convenient pre- and post-workout snacks, athletes still struggle understanding which foods are an appropriate choice for their purpose of eating.

The purpose of this research was to examine the changes in the appropriateness of the athlete’s meal choices at the Fueling Station based on their macronutrient distribution and timing of workout or training event before and after implementation of a nutrition education intervention. The education was implemented over three-weeks covering the topics of Carbohydrate, Protein, and Building a Performance Plate. Athletes were asked to complete a 14-question Qualtrics survey on iPads each time they visited the Fueling Station during the week prior to and after the education indicating what foods they ate and the timing of their workout or training event.

Results show that there were no significant differences in the appropriateness of the athlete’s pre- and post-exercise meal choices after the three-week education. However, 93% of athletes reported that they noticed the education and 44% indicated that they made changes in their diet based on what they learned. Further research on effectively educating and improving behaviors of athletes in a University Fueling Station is needed.

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