Trial Review

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Trial registered on ANZCTR


Registration number
ACTRN12625000293460
Ethics application status
Approved
Date submitted
20/02/2025
Date registered
14/04/2025
Date last updated
14/04/2025
Date data sharing statement initially provided
14/04/2025
Type of registration
Prospectively registered

Titles & IDs
Public title
Nutrition education in soccer players
Scientific title
The effect of nutrition education on dietary intake and nutrition knowledge in semi-elite soccer players
Secondary ID [1] 314028 0
None
Universal Trial Number (UTN)
Trial acronym
Linked study record

Health condition
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied:
Diet 336767 0
Condition category
Condition code
Diet and Nutrition 333257 333257 0 0
Other diet and nutrition disorders

Intervention/exposure
Study type
Interventional
Description of intervention(s) / exposure
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a dietary education program incorporating group and individual education sessions on dietary intake and nutrition knowledge of male and female state-level soccer players.
Participants will be randomised into one of two groups ("Combined" or "Single" group) and undertake a 7-week education intervention.
The "Combined" group will participate in the same four fortnightly group education sessions, occurring in weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the intervention as well as receive two individual dietary consultations during weeks 1-2 and 5-6. Sessions will be given by dietitian interns and the chief investigator.
The individual dietary consultations aim to provide personalised dietary guidance based on individual food and eating preferences (including allergies, intolerances, religious beliefs), individual energy and nutrient requirements, training load, and individual performance and health goals. Dietitians will perform a dietary assessment (diet history) to guide personalised dietary advice. The conslutation will also support dietitians to understood the current level of nutrition understanding of the participant while allowing participants to ask questions related specifically to their needs.
The initial individual consultations will go for approximately 45 minutes and the second consultation will go for approximately 30 minutes.
No specific strategies will be used to monitor adherence to the conslutations. However, as part of the follow up/second consult, the dietitians will assess how participants have implemented strategies/recommendations and then provide further guidance around how strategies can be adapted to better suit the individual.
Intervention code [1] 330605 0
Behaviour
Intervention code [2] 330695 0
Lifestyle
Comparator / control treatment
The "Single" group will participate in four fortnightly group education sessions, occurring in weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the intervention. Sessions will be presented by dietitian interns under the supervision of the chief investigator (accredited practicing dietitian, accredited sports dietitian). The education program will involve content presentation, small group activities, and questions. Content covers food groups, macronutrients, and energy (session 1), pre- and peri-competition nutrition (session 2), recovery, hydration, and double training days (session 3), and energy availability, micronutrients, and body composition (session 4).

Session 1:
Session objectives include a broad overview of the 5 food groups (as per Australian Guide to Healthy Eating); examination of the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat, and fluid) including general intake guidelines (g/kg protein, carbohydrate based on activity levels); energy requirements (based on activity levels, body mass, training goals); and how to read food labels (including activity). This session will use a powerpoint presentation and a handout with session summary and the food label reading activity.

Session 2:
Session objectives include a summary of dietary factors that influence performance; the requirements of the pre-exercise meals (carbohydrate targets) and how these can benefit performance; examination of the hydration requirements pre and during exericse; and the development of a pre-performance meal appropriate to the individual (including an activity). This session will use a powerpoint presentation and a handout with session summary, the meal preparation activity, and a carbohydrate ready reckoner.

Session 3:
Session objectives include understanding the role of macronutrients in the recovery process (repair, replenish, rehydrate); detail the individual carbohydrate and protein requirements to support recovery (g/kg CHO, protein); develop an individual hydration plan for recovery (based on change in body mass, environmental conditions); understanding the importance of nutrition on double training days (recover and prepare, increased energy and nutrient needs). This session will use a powerpoint presentation and a handout with session summary, a recovery meal preparation activity, and a protein ready reckoner.

Session 4:
Session objectives include defining energy availability, and the risks for and outcomes of low energy availability; a detailed description of dietary iron and calcium, and their role in health and performance; a brief examination of body composition and its minor role in performance. This session will use a powerpoint presentation and a handout with session summary, a weekly fuelling plan activity, and a calcium and iron ready reckoner.

Sessions will last approximately 30 minutes on average. It is expected the final session will go slightly longer.

Session adherence will be monitored through an attendance checklist.
Control group
Active

Outcomes
Primary outcome [1] 340826 0
Dietary intake. Total energy intake Macronutrient intake (carbohydrate, protein, fat) measured as absolute (g/d) and relative (g/kg/d) intake. Intake relative to sports nutrition guidelines (protein >1.5 g/k/d, carbohydrate 3-10 g/kg/d)
Timepoint [1] 340826 0
Baseline and 1-week post-intervention completion.
Secondary outcome [1] 445173 0
Nutrition knowledge
Timepoint [1] 445173 0
Baseline and 1-week post intervention completion

Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
Semi-elite male and female soccer players from a single club competing in the National Premier League NSW will be recruited for participation in this study. Participants will be recruited from the men’s first grade and U/20s teams and women’s first and second grade teams. To be eligible for participation, athletes must be actively training and playing in competition, capable of completing a food diary using a mobile phone and have access to an online nutrition knowledge questionnaire.
Minimum age
18 Years
Maximum age
No limit
Sex
Both males and females
Can healthy volunteers participate?
Yes
Key exclusion criteria
A score of >3.33 on the the 6-question Eating Disorders Screen for Athletes.

Study design
Purpose of the study
Treatment
Allocation to intervention
Randomised controlled trial
Procedure for enrolling a subject and allocating the treatment (allocation concealment procedures)
Allocation is not concealed
Methods used to generate the sequence in which subjects will be randomised (sequence generation)
Simple randomisation using a randomisation table created by computer software
Masking / blinding
Open (masking not used)
Who is / are masked / blinded?



Intervention assignment
Parallel
Other design features
Phase
Not Applicable
Type of endpoint/s
Statistical methods / analysis
Mean and standard deviation will be calculated for all demographic characteristics. Mean and standard deviation of dietary intake will be calculated for carbohydrate (g/kg/d), protein (g/kg/d), fat (g/d, % total energy), and energy intake (kJ/d, kJ/kg/d). The number of participants in each group meeting sports nutrition guidelines will be presented as percentages. Differences in intake between pre- and post-intervention will be assessed within groups using a paired t-test. The change in intake from pre- to post-intervention will be compared between groups using independent samples t-test. The percentage of participants meeting sports nutrition guidelines will be compared before and after intervention using a Chi squared test. Differences in nutrition knowledge scores will be compared within and between groups using a 2-way (group x time), repeated measures ANOVA. Significance will be set at p < 0.05

Recruitment
Recruitment status
Not yet recruiting
Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
21/04/2025
Actual
Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
25/04/2025
Actual
Date of last data collection
Anticipated
27/06/2025
Actual
Sample size
Target
20
Accrual to date
Final
Recruitment in Australia
Recruitment state(s)
NSW

Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1] 318533 0
Other Collaborative groups
Name [1] 318533 0
North West Spirit Football Club
Country [1] 318533 0
Australia
Primary sponsor type
University
Name
Australian Catholic University
Address
Country
Australia
Secondary sponsor category [1] 320926 0
None
Name [1] 320926 0
Address [1] 320926 0
Country [1] 320926 0

Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Approved
Ethics committee name [1] 317136 0
ACU Human Research Ethics Committee
Ethics committee address [1] 317136 0
Ethics committee country [1] 317136 0
Australia
Date submitted for ethics approval [1] 317136 0
04/04/2023
Approval date [1] 317136 0
26/05/2023
Ethics approval number [1] 317136 0
2023-3079E

Summary
Brief summary
Trial website
Trial related presentations / publications
Public notes

Contacts
Principal investigator
Name 140118 0
Dr Lachlan Mitchell
Address 140118 0
Australian Catholic University, 532.12.17, 20 Napier Street, North Sydney, 2060
Country 140118 0
Australia
Phone 140118 0
+61 2 9739 2164
Fax 140118 0
Email 140118 0
[email protected]
Contact person for public queries
Name 140119 0
Lachlan Mitchell
Address 140119 0
Australian Catholic University, 532.12.17, 20 Napier Street, North Sydney, 2060
Country 140119 0
Australia
Phone 140119 0
+61 2 9739 2164
Fax 140119 0
Email 140119 0
[email protected]
Contact person for scientific queries
Name 140120 0
Lachlan Mitchell
Address 140120 0
Australian Catholic University, 532.12.17, 20 Napier Street, North Sydney, 2060
Country 140120 0
Australia
Phone 140120 0
+61 2 9739 2164
Fax 140120 0
Email 140120 0
[email protected]

Data sharing statement
Will the study consider sharing individual participant data?
No


What supporting documents are/will be available?

No Supporting Document Provided


Results publications and other study-related documents

Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.

Documents added automatically
No additional documents have been identified.