Fruit and Vegetable Intake Influenced by Self-Efficacy Levels Among Ultra-Endurance Athletes

Bayley Wade, Lauren S. Masden, Allison M. Tripure / bwade@bellarmine.edu / Faculty Advisor: Sara E. Mahoney

As ultramarathon events grow in popularity, research is only beginning to elucidate the impact of dietary intake on these extreme endurance athletes. Previous studies have measured whether these athletes are consuming adequate daily carbohydrates, however little information is available regarding dietary intake of fruits and vegetables in this population. The purpose of this study was to describe the habitual fruit and vegetable intake of ultramarathon runners and determine whether sources of nutrition information and self-efficacy predicted intake. METHODS: Participants (N=224) accessed, responded to, and submitted the survey via a secure, study-specific web-based link. The survey battery included demographic information, a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ), the Self-Efficacy for healthy diet scale (8-SeED), and the Sources of Nutrition Information (SONI) questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict fruit and vegetable intake (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: Overall, the athletes consumed 5.05±3.6 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. The model significantly predicted intake (R2= 0.118, p <0.001), however the only significant covariate was self-efficacy (t = 4.75, p<0.001). Regarding sources of nutrition information, there was a modest, but significant correlation between intake and use of peer-reviewed literature (r= 0.191, p=0.008). CONCLUSION: Overall, these athletes have relatively high fruit and vegetable intake, and this is influenced by dietary self-efficacy rather than nutrition knowledge.

Accepted for presentation at the Southeast ACSM Regional Chapter (SEACSM) Conference, February 19, 2021.