Class
Article
College
College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
Department
Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Department
Faculty Mentor
Katie Brown
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Nutrition plays a significant role in supporting the physical performance of USU ROTC Cadets. The purpose of this research was to learn more about ROTC cadets' dietary habits, the reasons for their dietary choices, and gain feedback on what they think could improve their dietary intake. Two, 1-hour focus groups were conducted with 8 participants total. During each focus group, participants completed a brief survey about their dietary habits and discussed factors that influenced their food choices.The discussion included information on frequency of meals and snacks, impact of food on performance and lifestyle, ROTC culture surrounding nutrition, and potential helpful resources for improving nutrition. The comments were analyzed and coded according to content. The main themes that emerged were the influence of convenience on daily food decisions and cadets making food decisions based on basic nutrition knowledge presented in an ROTC class. Many cadets felt that their superiors were focused on helping them improve their mental and physical health, although they shared that more application opportunities would be helpful to promote further nutrition education. ROTC cadets also discussed the influence of biannual fitness assessments on their dietary choices. Presentation Time: Thursday, 9-10 a.m.
Location
Logan, UT
Start Date
4-9-2021 12:00 AM
Included in
USU ROTC Cadet Focus Group Perspectives on Nutrition and Dietary Intake
Logan, UT
Nutrition plays a significant role in supporting the physical performance of USU ROTC Cadets. The purpose of this research was to learn more about ROTC cadets' dietary habits, the reasons for their dietary choices, and gain feedback on what they think could improve their dietary intake. Two, 1-hour focus groups were conducted with 8 participants total. During each focus group, participants completed a brief survey about their dietary habits and discussed factors that influenced their food choices.The discussion included information on frequency of meals and snacks, impact of food on performance and lifestyle, ROTC culture surrounding nutrition, and potential helpful resources for improving nutrition. The comments were analyzed and coded according to content. The main themes that emerged were the influence of convenience on daily food decisions and cadets making food decisions based on basic nutrition knowledge presented in an ROTC class. Many cadets felt that their superiors were focused on helping them improve their mental and physical health, although they shared that more application opportunities would be helpful to promote further nutrition education. ROTC cadets also discussed the influence of biannual fitness assessments on their dietary choices. Presentation Time: Thursday, 9-10 a.m.