Improvement of sports nutrition knowledge by a dual method education program in track and field athletes: a randomized controlled trial
Background Athletes with strong sports nutrition knowledge are believed to have sound nutritional practices and better performance. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a dual-method personalized nutrition education program in improving sports nutrition knowledge (SNK) among Sri Lankan...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15502783.2025.2519517 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850219994867040256 |
|---|---|
| author | Ranil Jayawardena Kalani Weerasinghe Indu Nanayakkara Terrence Madhujith Andrew P. Hills Nishan Sudheera Kalupahana |
| author_facet | Ranil Jayawardena Kalani Weerasinghe Indu Nanayakkara Terrence Madhujith Andrew P. Hills Nishan Sudheera Kalupahana |
| author_sort | Ranil Jayawardena |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Athletes with strong sports nutrition knowledge are believed to have sound nutritional practices and better performance. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a dual-method personalized nutrition education program in improving sports nutrition knowledge (SNK) among Sri Lankan track and field athletes.Methods This parallel-group, randomized controlled trial recruited national-level track and field athletes aged 18 and above. The intervention group (IG) received personalized sports nutrition consultations at 0, 4th, and 8th weeks, along with online educational materials via WhatsApp from weeks 10 to 16, while the control group (CG) did not receive any intervention. A per-protocol analysis was followed, and t-tests were used to compare the means.Results Of the 30 participants enrolled, 13 from IG and 14 from CG completed the study. Following the 16-week intervention, the IG demonstrated significant improvements in total nutrition knowledge (TNK) relative to the CG (IG: 34.41 ± 4.15 vs. CG: 20.96 ± 4.38; p = 0.01), with significant increases in general nutrition knowledge (GNK) (IG:24.54 ± 3.66 vs. CG:15.64 ± 2.33; p = 0.004) and SNK (9.87 ± 3.87 vs. 5.32 ± 4.07; p = 0.006). Changes in TNK were also significantly greater in the IG compared to the CG; (IG:9.45 ± 0.10 vs. CG: −2.63 ± 0.37; p < 0.0001), GNK (IG:4.47 ± 0.08 vs. CG: −1.28 ± 0.09; p < 0.0001), and SNK (IG:4.99 ± 0.72 vs. CG: −1.25 ± 0.74; p < 0.0001).Conclusions The 16-week dual-method nutrition education intervention was effective in improving TNK, GNK, and SNK among track and field athletes in Sri Lanka.Trial registration This trial is registered at the Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry (SLCTR/2024/013), Universal Trial Number (UTN): U1111–1304–8890 on 10 April 2024. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ecc19fe56f6241fbbcc4b8d6b7694fde |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1550-2783 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-ecc19fe56f6241fbbcc4b8d6b7694fde2025-08-20T02:07:12ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition1550-27832025-12-0122110.1080/15502783.2025.2519517Improvement of sports nutrition knowledge by a dual method education program in track and field athletes: a randomized controlled trialRanil Jayawardena0Kalani Weerasinghe1Indu Nanayakkara2Terrence Madhujith3Andrew P. Hills4Nishan Sudheera Kalupahana5University of Colombo, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo, Sri LankaUniversity of Colombo, Health and Wellness Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo, Sri LankaUniversity of Peradeniya, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kandy, Sri LankaUniversity of Peradeniya, Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kandy, Sri LankaUniversity of Tasmania, School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, Launceston, AustraliaUnited Arab Emirates University, Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesBackground Athletes with strong sports nutrition knowledge are believed to have sound nutritional practices and better performance. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a dual-method personalized nutrition education program in improving sports nutrition knowledge (SNK) among Sri Lankan track and field athletes.Methods This parallel-group, randomized controlled trial recruited national-level track and field athletes aged 18 and above. The intervention group (IG) received personalized sports nutrition consultations at 0, 4th, and 8th weeks, along with online educational materials via WhatsApp from weeks 10 to 16, while the control group (CG) did not receive any intervention. A per-protocol analysis was followed, and t-tests were used to compare the means.Results Of the 30 participants enrolled, 13 from IG and 14 from CG completed the study. Following the 16-week intervention, the IG demonstrated significant improvements in total nutrition knowledge (TNK) relative to the CG (IG: 34.41 ± 4.15 vs. CG: 20.96 ± 4.38; p = 0.01), with significant increases in general nutrition knowledge (GNK) (IG:24.54 ± 3.66 vs. CG:15.64 ± 2.33; p = 0.004) and SNK (9.87 ± 3.87 vs. 5.32 ± 4.07; p = 0.006). Changes in TNK were also significantly greater in the IG compared to the CG; (IG:9.45 ± 0.10 vs. CG: −2.63 ± 0.37; p < 0.0001), GNK (IG:4.47 ± 0.08 vs. CG: −1.28 ± 0.09; p < 0.0001), and SNK (IG:4.99 ± 0.72 vs. CG: −1.25 ± 0.74; p < 0.0001).Conclusions The 16-week dual-method nutrition education intervention was effective in improving TNK, GNK, and SNK among track and field athletes in Sri Lanka.Trial registration This trial is registered at the Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry (SLCTR/2024/013), Universal Trial Number (UTN): U1111–1304–8890 on 10 April 2024.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15502783.2025.2519517Sports nutrition knowledgenutrition educationtrack and fieldathletesSri Lanka |
| spellingShingle | Ranil Jayawardena Kalani Weerasinghe Indu Nanayakkara Terrence Madhujith Andrew P. Hills Nishan Sudheera Kalupahana Improvement of sports nutrition knowledge by a dual method education program in track and field athletes: a randomized controlled trial Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition Sports nutrition knowledge nutrition education track and field athletes Sri Lanka |
| title | Improvement of sports nutrition knowledge by a dual method education program in track and field athletes: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full | Improvement of sports nutrition knowledge by a dual method education program in track and field athletes: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Improvement of sports nutrition knowledge by a dual method education program in track and field athletes: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improvement of sports nutrition knowledge by a dual method education program in track and field athletes: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_short | Improvement of sports nutrition knowledge by a dual method education program in track and field athletes: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_sort | improvement of sports nutrition knowledge by a dual method education program in track and field athletes a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | Sports nutrition knowledge nutrition education track and field athletes Sri Lanka |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15502783.2025.2519517 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT raniljayawardena improvementofsportsnutritionknowledgebyadualmethodeducationprogramintrackandfieldathletesarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT kalaniweerasinghe improvementofsportsnutritionknowledgebyadualmethodeducationprogramintrackandfieldathletesarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT indunanayakkara improvementofsportsnutritionknowledgebyadualmethodeducationprogramintrackandfieldathletesarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT terrencemadhujith improvementofsportsnutritionknowledgebyadualmethodeducationprogramintrackandfieldathletesarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT andrewphills improvementofsportsnutritionknowledgebyadualmethodeducationprogramintrackandfieldathletesarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT nishansudheerakalupahana improvementofsportsnutritionknowledgebyadualmethodeducationprogramintrackandfieldathletesarandomizedcontrolledtrial |