Document Type
Honors Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors in Biological Sciences
Date of Award
Spring 4-15-2026
Abstract
There are rising concerns on whether collegiate athletes are being diligent with their nutritional practices. With an increase in RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in sports) cases in athletes, their knowledge about their nutritional needs comes into question. Nutrition has a significant impact on athletic performance and the development in an athlete’s specialty. To assess the current knowledge of athletes, the track athletes of East Texas A&M University were asked to participate in a nutritional assessment to determine their knowledge of nutrition in regard to their sport. It was hypothesized that the majority of athletes surveyed would not possess adequate knowledge of proper sports nutrition. The study consisted of an anonymous survey developed from the NSKQ (Nutrition for Sports Knowledge Questionnaire) aimed at assessing the athlete’s
Risner 2 current nutrition knowledge. Participants exhibited a strong baseline knowledge of hydration and micronutrient roles, but demonstrated gaps in applied sports nutrition practices, particularly regarding carbohydrate use during and after exercise. A limitation to this study is the assessment was only administered to the ETAMU track team and not the other sports teams. Overall, there is still a significant lack of proper nutrition amongst athletes. However, females tend to show higher comprehension relating to the subject matter. The purpose of this study is to increase athletes’ awareness of proper nutrition and support effective fueling strategies to optimize training outcomes, enhance daily energy levels, and, ultimately also improve academic performance.
Advisor
Rachel Aumann
Recommended Citation
Risner, Haleigh, "Nutritional Knowledge of Collegiate Track Athletes" (2026). Honors Theses. 293.
https://lair.etamu.edu/honorstheses/293
