Assessment Of Nutrition Knowledge Amongst NCAA Division II Athletes

Nutrition knowledge is closely linked to diet quality, and the relationship between sports performance and nutrition is well established. Prior to implementing any intervention strategies to impact the diet quality of student-athletes, their nutrition knowledge must first be assessed. Acquiring these data can help to determine if there is indeed a need for an intervention, and to what aim that intervention must take to influence the diet quality and overall performance of these student-athletes as both students and athletes. PURPOSE: To assess the nutritional knowledge of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II student-athletes at the University of Findlay using a validated questionnaire. The objective was to analyze the participants’ nutritional knowledge within the General Nutritional Knowledge (GNK) category and the Sports-Specific Nutritional Knowledge (SNK) category of the Abridged Nutrition for Sports Knowledge Questionnaire (ANSKQ). METHODS: A validated survey instrument (ANSKQ, Trakman et al, 2018) was emailed to all student-athletes currently rostered for a NCAA DII sports team at the University of Findlay for the 2023-2024 academic year (n = 603). The ANSKQ is composed of 37 questions, including demographic questions, with a sub-section of 11 questions to assess GNK and a sub-section of 24 questions to assess SNK. For each assessment question, there is an indicated correct answer, and “not sure” is indicated as an incorrect answer. Scores are ranked categorically with 0-49% indicated as “below average,” 50-65% indicated as “average,” 66-75% indicated as “above average,” and > 75% indicated as “outstanding.” RESULTS: 7.3% of student-athletes completed the survey (n = 44). Overall average score was 50.2% ± 11.4%. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in GNK scores compared to SNK scores (62.0% ± 1.6% versus 44.8% ± 14.1%). Females scored significantly (p < 0.05) better than males (65.9% ± 2.1% versus 57.3% ± 2.0%) in GNK. CONCLUSION: Student-athletes at the University of Findlay appear to have indicated “below average” SNK, with indicated “average” GNK, putting them at a disadvantage for making dietary choices to support optimal sports performance.