Sports Nutrition for the Adolescent Athlete: The WAVE Pilot Study

Purpose: This study examines the nutrition knowledge/behaviors of adolescent athletes before/after a sport nutrition intervention. Methods: The WAVE pilot study intervention provided sport nutrition education to soccer players (n=26; 14-19y) through face-to-face lessons (Intervention group [IG]). Anthropometrics and the Sport Nutrition Questionnaire were done pre/post intervention, while the comparison group (CG; n=23) completed baseline data and received no lessons. Results: Anthropometric data were similar between groups except for the CG females weighing more than IG (p=0.04). Athletes had high knowledge scores for hydration (IG=pre(87%)/post(97%); CG=79%), and selected appropriate pre-(high-carbohydrate: IG=>66%; CG=79%) and post-exercise foods (High-carbohydrate: IG=pre(56%)/post(64%); CG=69%; high-protein: IG=pre(58%)/post(48%); CG=62%). The lessons did not change nutrition behaviors. Water was selected as the primary fluid (IG=>96%; CG= 95%), and sports drink less often (IG=42-43%; CG=18%). Timing of pre-exercise meals did not change for the IG, with >87% eating >1-h before exercise and consumed high-carbohydrate foods (>69%) vs. CG (31% and 43%, respectively). Most\ud 3\ud ate (IG~60%; CG-54%) 1-2h after exercise and selected similar protein (IG=pre(33%)/post(41%); CG=36%) and carbohydrate (IG=(63-64%); CG=64%) foods. Conclusion: The WAVE sport nutrition lessons did not change nutrition knowledge/behaviors in soccer players, but sample size was small and attendance variable. Athletes should improve timing/planning of meals/snacks around sport