Nutrition Education Curriculum Promotes Adolescent Runners' Self-Efficacy, Knowledge, and Intake of Nutrient-Rich Carbohydrate Foods.

Background: Endurance runners exhibit an elevated prevalence of low bone mass and characteristics consistent with undernourishment.

Objective: This quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design study evaluated the efficacy of a 4-week nutrition education curriculum to optimize nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy, and the intake of nutrient-rich carbohydrate foods.

Methods: Forty-eight adolescent endurance runners, age 15.7 ± 1.2 y, from two high schools in Southern California were recruited to complete four, weekly lessons addressing the quantity, quality, and timing of carbohydrate intake. Differences in pre- compared to post-intervention nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy to consume nutrient-rich carbohydrate foods were evaluated using paired samples -tests. Qualitative coding of open-response questions explored changes in food intake behaviors reported by runners during the intervention.

Results: The percent of nutrition knowledge questions answered correctly increased after Lessons 1 and 2 (59.0% ± 20.0% pre- vs. 81.9% ± 22.8% post-Lesson 1; 44.7% ± 13.7% pre- vs. 74.5% ± 17.4% post-Lesson 2, ) and the number of identified nutrient-rich carbohydrate foods (8.7 ± 2.7 vs. 12.4 ± 2.3,  < 0.001). Self-efficacy scores improved after all lessons (). After Lesson 2, 84% ( = 27/32) of runners increased the carbohydrate included in a snack or meal; after Lesson 4, 85% ( = 29/34) added a post-exercise snack. Frequent themes identified from questions addressing dietary changes included increasing quantity and quality of carbohydrates in snacks and meals and being more aware of food choices. Findings suggest that the curriculum enhanced nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy, and dietary behaviors related to intake of nutrient-dense carbohydrate foods in adolescent runners.