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. 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.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and
Sports, Faculty of Health, Allied Sciences and Home Economics Education,
submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Physical Education and Sports Studies)
in the University of Education, Winneba
