Dietary Intakes and Eating Habits of College Athletes: Are Female College Athletes Following the Current Sports Nutrition Standards?

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess dietary intakes and eating habits of female college athletes and compared them with the minimum sports nutrition standards. Participants: Data were obtained from 52 female college athletes from a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I university between January 2009 and May 2010. Methods: Participants completed anthropometric measurements and dietary assessment using a 3-day food record, a 24-hour recall, and a nutrition questionnaire. Results: t tests indicated the energy and carbohydrate intakes were below the minimum recommended amount (p < .001), with only 9% of the participants meeting their energy needs. Seventy-five percent of the participants failed to consume the minimum amount of carbohydrates that is required to support training. The majority of the participants reported no regular breakfast, 36% consumed < 5 meals/day, and only 16% monitored their hydration status. Conclusions: Effective nutrition interventions are needed to improve dietary intakes and eating habits of female college athletes.

Keywords:

• athletics
• nutrition

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank the university's athletic trainers for assisting with the recruitment of the athletes for this study and the female athletes who participated in the study. The authors also want to express sincere thank you to the researchers working with the USA Track & Field, especially Jackie Maurer Abbott, who gave us permission to utilize the CAED Nutrition Questionnaire for our study.