An Intervention to Improve Knowledge on Dietary Supplements Among Varsity Athletes

NCT05514808 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 22-03-003
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this project is to increase knowledge on and influence intention (and related determinants) toward the use of dietary supplements in populations at risk for doping such as university student athletes. Our objectives are to increase athletes' knowledge on dietary supplements, change their attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control toward the use of these supplements, increase their body appreciation and thus increase their intention to take nutrients from diet first before considering dietary supplements. We are proposing the conceptualization, implementation, and evaluation of a nutrition education program on dietary supplements targeting varsity athletes at universities across Ontario. Participants will be recruited from varsity teams at the University of Guelph. The intervention will be tested for validity and reliability and implemented online through Courselink modules over 4 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to a control or intervention group, using a randomized control trial approach. Each week, participants will learn about a topic related to nutrition, health and values-based ethics of clean sport. The intervention group will receive additional information on dietary supplements, their benefits and their risks. Doping and body appreciation and their links to the use of dietary supplements will also be covered in this group. A questionnaire assessing outcome objectives will be administered before and at the end of the intervention as well as 3 months post-intervention. Among the different components covered in the questionnaire, one section will assess knowledge on health, sports nutrition, and dietary supplements; and another will gather responses to statements reflecting the different theory of planned behaviour (TPB) cognitive constructs.

Conditions

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Percent of participants with correct answers to questions in the questionnaire assessing their knowledge on dietary supplements, their benefits and their risks

  knowledge on dietary supplements

  4 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Change in participants' theory of planned behaviour cognitive constructs with respect to the use of dietary supplements, as assessed in the questionnaire

  4 weeks

• Percent of participants with improved body image and body appreciation, as assessed in the questionnaire, in relation to the use of dietary supplements

  4 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Nutrition education intervention group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Each week, participants will learn about a topic related to nutrition, health and values-based ethics of clean sport. The intervention group will also receive information on dietary supplements, their benefits and their risks. Doping and body appreciation and their links to the use of dietary supplements will also be covered in this group. The duration of the intervention is 4 weeks; 1 module to be released every week.

Other: Nutrition education modules

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

No intervention to be received during the 4-week period.

Interventions

Nutrition education modules OTHER

Nutrition education modules on sports nutrition and dietary supplements over a period of 4 weeks (1 module/week)

Nutrition education intervention group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• current University of Guelph-registered part-time or full-time student
• fluent in English
• varsity athlete

You may not qualify if:

• not a University of Guelph-registered student
• not fluent in English
• not a varsity athlete

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Guelph: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Guelph

Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Behavior

Study Officials

• Dalia El Khoury, PhD RD

  University of Guelph

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 16, 2022
• First Posted: August 24, 2022
• Study Start: May 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: June 30, 2023
• Study Completion: August 30, 2023
• Last Updated: May 9, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)