Effect of Nutrition Education on Energy Availability, Body Composition, Eating Attitude and Sports Nutrition Knowledge

Medipol University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport

Treatments: Behavioral: Nutrition education

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06116097

E.8234/196

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study investigates the effects of a series of nutrition education sessions conducted by a registered dietitian on energy availability, various anthropometric measurements, eating attitudes, and sports nutrition knowledge in young female endurance athletes aged 15-18 years (football, basketball, volleyball) who engage in training for more than 10 hours per week (n=83).

Full description

Participants were randomly divided into two groups with 45 individuals receiving six physical nutrition education lectures, and the remaining 38 participants receiving no nutrition education. Participants completed the The low energy availability in females questionnaire (LEAF-Q), Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) and Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (SNKQ). Energy and nutrient intakes were evaluated thorough 3-day food records, while exercise energy expenditure was assessed using 3-day activity logs. All of the questionnaires were repeated after a 6-months period.

At baseline, the prevalence of LEA among athletes was determined to be 63.8%. In the intervention group, energy availability (EA) and SNKQ scores increased, and LEAF-Q scores decreased significantly (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant change in EAT-26 scores between the two groups. Energy intake, weight, fat free mass and resting metabolic rate has been increased significantly in the intervention group (p < 0,05). These findings suggest that nutrition education proves beneficial in enhancing dietary intake, positively influencing body composition and improving nutrition knowledge, ultimately contributing to increased energy availability in female athletes over the short term.

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 14 to 18 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Non-contraceptive using Competitive female endurance athletes 14-18 years of age training minimum 6 hours a week not taking a break from sports for more than 3 months due to injury

Exclusion criteria

Pregnancy or planned pregnancy chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, crohn's disease, thyroid dysfunction) Use of any medication that may disturb hormonal balance

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

Nutrition education intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

Nutrition education was comprimised of 6 physical face to face 60 minutes sessions which was given every week in a school class. Each session was consisted of a different subject including energy metabolism in sport, energy balance, nutrition before and after training, low energy availability, macro and micronutrients, hydration and supplements. Participants also got written information as a printed booklet in order to be able to take notes under sessions and review after the sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Nutrition education

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Control group has not taken any nutrition education but has been filled all of the questionnaires, acitivity logs and food diaries.