Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Practices among Athletes in Colleges of Education in the Volta Region of Ghana

Abstract

Nutrition knowledge and dietary practices are tools for improving athletic performance, fostering recovery, and promoting overall health. Although, it is prudent for athletes to make informed food choices before, during and after training or competition, nutrition knowledge and dietary practices of student athletes have been understudied. Therefore, the study assessed nutrition knowledge and dietary practices among athletes in Colleges of Education in the Volta Region of Ghana. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design. The population consisted of a total of 330 athletes where a census technique was used for the study. Data was collected using questionnaire. The study revealed high level of nutrition knowledge among participants (N=277, 100%). Majority of the participants always ate breakfast, drank water, and occasionally consumed fruits. Cost, time, and family feeding influenced dietary practices among majority of the participants. Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference (p =.359) in dietary practices among male and female participants. The study concluded that cost, time, and family feeding influences dietary practices among participants. Therefore, it has been recommended that management in Colleges of Education should put in measures to help athletes deal with these concerns throughout their nutritional practices.