The relationship between nutrition and athletic performance has become a topic of increasing interest in college athletics. This study assessed the effect of nutrition education on the nutrition knowledge and dietary adequacy of female and male college athletes through a pre-test/post-test, control group design. Six weekly lessons were offered to the experimental groups. For female athletes, a two sample t-test indicated significant differences on gain scores for the experimental group (p

Competitive swimming is a sport in which "the need to succeed" is stressed and the desire to reach the optimal level of performance--physically, emotionally, and nutritionally is strong. This research sought to investigate whether there were differences in nutrient intakes, percent body fat, and body image between male and female swimmers and their non-athletic counterparts at Muncie Central High School in Muncie, Indiana.The accessible population for this study included those male and female athletes and non-athletes, ages 14 to 18, who attended Muncie Central High School during the 1989-1990 school year.The data indicated that athletes did not differ from non-athletes while males and females did differ significantly in significant differences in height between athletes and non-athletes, primarily due to the differences in the height of female athletes as males appeared to be similar, but female athletes were one-half inch taller, on the average, than female non-athletes. There were no significant differences between the weights of male between athletes and non-athletes,male non-athletes were and female athletes and non-athletes; however, male athletes were 13 lbs. lighter, on the average, than their male counterparts. There was a significant interaction, in percent body fat, significantly fatter than male athletes. There was a tendency for males to have lower scores on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) than females, suggesting that males were at lower risks for disorders than females.These data suggest that nutrition education programs should be planned to ensure good diets for all students, athletes, and non-athletes. / Department of Home Economics

The problem of this study was to search for possible effects of the pre-competition meal. This problem had two primary facets: 1) to determine performance scores secured by college varsity track and field men under two different pre-competition meal conditions and to study the relationship of the meal last ingested before competition to the scores; 2) to determine the concern for certain psychological and psycho-physiological factors under each of the two pre-competition meal conditions.

The purpose of this study was to determine the acute effects of caffeine supplementation on strength and muscular endurance in resistance-trained women. In a randomized manner, 15 women consumed caffeine (6 mg/kg) or placebo (PL) seven days apart. Sixty minutes following supplementation, participants performed a one repetition maximum (1RM) barbell bench press test and repetitions to failure at 60% of 1RM. Heart rate and blood pressure were assessed at rest, 60 minutes post-consumption, and immediately following completion of repetitions to failure. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated a significantly greater bench press maximum with caffeine (p<0.05) (52.9 « 11.1 kg vs. 52.1 « 11.7 kg) with no significant differences between conditions in 60% 1RM repetitions (p=0.81). Systolic blood pressure was significantly greater post-exercise, with caffeine (p<0.05) (116.8 « 5.3 mmHg vs. 112.9 « 4.9 mmHg). Our findings indicate a moderate dose of caffeine may be sufficient for enhancing strength performance in resistance-trained women. / by Erica R. Goldstein. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The purpose of this study was to determine what relationship exists between the degree of an eating disorder or "disordered eating" pattern and athletic performance. The subjects were 30 female collegiate swimmers, between the ages of 18 and 22 years, at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. The subjects completed the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) questionnaire, which assesses several psychological and behavioral traits associated with bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, and the Bulimia Test-Revised (BULIT-R) questionnaire which measures symptoms of bulimia in adolescents and adults. A performance score was calculated from each swimmer's best event.The results of this study supported the research hypothesis that there would be a negative relationship between the swimming performance of athletes and degree of eating disorder or "disordered eating" pattern as measured by the two questionnaires. "Disordered eating" patterns predicted 20 percent of the variance in athletic performance. / School of Physical Education

Nutrition knowledge, Locus of Control, and dietary practices were assessed and compared among male and female athletes at Ball State University with the goal of designing an appropriate nutrition education program. Members of the men's basketball (n=ll), track (n=12) and women's basketball (n=12) and track (n=14) teams were selected as participants in this study. Each participant was required to complete nutrition knowledge, Locus of Control and food frequency questionnaires in addition to completing three 24-hour food recalls on separate occasions.Comparison between gender revealed that female athletes had greater nutrition knowledge levels than male athletes. Women averaged only 90% of advisable caloric intake whereas men exceeded their advisable caloric intake.Male athletes were found not to have better dietary practices than female athletes as previous research suggest. In fact, males exceeded the percent of advisable intake of protein and fat. While, women exceeded advisable protein intake, they consumed less than the maximum advisable fat intake.Comparisons made between sport form revealed two trends: (1) track athletes had greater nutrition knowledge than basketball players and (2) track athletes tended to consume a greater percent of kcalorie intake as protein than basketball athletes.It can be concluded from this study that greater nutrition education should be given to male athletes to encourage lower fat and protein intake. Female athletes need to be educated in the areas of approximate caloric and protein intake. All the athletes need to be educated in general nutrition and nutrition as it relates to physical activity. Further investigation is needed to evaluate the effect of Locus of Control on the dietary practices of both male and female athletes. / Institute for Wellness

In an attempt to determine the extent to which well-trained endurance athletes practice the dietary recommendations for maximizing muscle glycogen resynthesis, twenty-four collegiate cross-country runners (14 males and 10 females) were chosen as subjects. The athletes kept four-day food and activity records during both a training and competitive period in the regular season. Energy intake was shown to be adequate in both phases. Total calories from carbohydrate, primarily complex, were found to be inadequate (<60%) for male runners and desirable (>60%) for females. Approximately 50% or less of the time carbohydrate was ingested immediately post-exercise, with even far less taken in suggested quantities (-1 g CHO/kg body weight). While the male athletes consumed primarily a combined solid and liquid form of carbohydrate immediately post-exercise, the females chose solid sources. Cereals and other breads were the most popular types of carbohydrate chosen immediately following exercise, in addition to commercial sports drinks/bars which were frequently ingested. An even more unfavorable trend in the distance runners was the infrequency of additional carbohydrate being ingested at two hour intervals following exercise. There were no significant differences in dietary trends between training and competitive phases. Overall these endurance athletes were not practicing the recommended feeding regimen for optimal muscle glycogen restoration. / Department of Home Economics

This study examined the prevalence of eating disorders within Division I and Division III intercollegiate athletic programs. A secondary purpose was to examine gender and sport differences. The participants, 191 head coaches from 31 purposefully selected colleges and/or universities, completed a respondent information sheet and questionnaire which were created specifically for the purposes of this study.A chi-square analysis indicated no difference in the prevalence of eating disorders between Division I and Division III athletes. The results also indicated that the female athletes had a higher proportion of eating disorders than the male athletes. Women's gymnastics and cross country and men's wrestling and cross country had higher proportions of eating disorders than the other sports examined. / School of Physical Education

All-College Honors thesis - - State University of New York College at Cortland, 2008 - - Department of Physical Education. / Includes bibliographical references (p.[25-6]).

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MA (Human Movement Science))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted