Development of a practical sport nutrition manual for dietitians in South Africa : practical eating guidelines for a variety of sports

Date
2018-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Introduction: Private practising dietitians (PPD) who council athletes need to provide evidence-based and sport-specific appropriate nutrition counselling to assist in specific dietary recommendations and strategies that will improve athlete’s physical and mental performance. This is essential for training and competition at an advanced level. The aim of this study was, therefore, to develop and validate a practical sport nutrition manual for dietitians working in private practice in South Africa to assist athletes in achieving optimal performance using sound nutritional education and practices. Methods: A descriptive study design was used with a qualitative and quantitative component. The study was divided into two phases: Phase one entails the development of a manual using a desktop review of evidence-based sport nutritional guidelines, and Phase two included the validation process of the manual, divided into content validity (Phase 2a) and face validity (Phase 2b). Phase one: A comprehensive literature review on specific nutritional requirements for sport was compiled using scientific search engines with the focus on recommendations and practical sport nutritional guidelines. The latest internationally and locally published data was used to form the basis of this sport nutrition manual. Phase 2a: Principles of the Delphi technique were utilised for preliminary content validation. More specifically, three rounds of self-administered electronic questionnaires were produced using the SurveyMonkey.com® software to collect input and feedback from six experts working in the field of sport nutrition to obtain consensus. Phase 2b: The face validity of the manual was verified by the results obtained through a self-administered electronic questionnaire. It was also produced using the SurveyMonkey.com® and distributed to eleven registered dietitians working for the Stellenbosch University Division of Human Nutrition. Results: A comprehensive sport nutrition manual comprising of four chapters covering assorted topics from daily nutritional requirements to practical ideas for meal planning was developed during Phase one. Phase 2a had a response rate of 33%. The questionnaire for round one comprised of open-ended questions, eliciting a variety of responses to consolidate and discuss during the subsequent rounds. No consensus was reached on nine out of the thirteen topics discussed during round two, therefore a third and final round was required for consensus. Data from the final round showed preliminary consensus on the content with minor disagreements on how the information should to be presented in certain chapters and whether some information sheets should be included or not. Less than half of the invited dietitians reviewed the face validity of the manual for Phase 2b. The manual scored 8.5 out of 10 for user friendliness. The size and length of the manual was found to be appropriate and participants agreed that the information within the manual was easy to locate. Overall, qualitative results therefore indicated the manual to be appropriate for the use of private practicing dietitians. Conclusion: A practical sport nutrition manual was developed, and preliminary consensus was reached regarding the appropriateness, relevancy and meaningfulness for use by dietitians working in private practice in South Africa.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: Privaatpraktyk-dieetkundiges moet bewysgebaseerde en voldoende raad aan atlete gee op gepaste sportvoedingonderwerpe wat atlete kan help met spesifieke dieetaanbevelings en strategiee om hul fisiese en verstandelike prestasie te verbeter. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ‘n praktiese sportvoedingshandleiding vir dieetkundiges, wat in privaatpraktyke in Suid-Afrika werk, te ontwikkel en te valideer om atlete te help om optimaal te presteer deur die gebruik van omvattende voedings opleiding en -praktyke. Metodes: ‘n Beskrywende studie-ontwerp was gebruik met ‘n kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe komponent. Die studie was verdeel in twee fases: Die voedingshandleiding was ontwikkel gedurende Fase een deur middel van 'n eletroniese oorsig van die beste beskikbare voedingstudies soos bewysgebaseerde voeding. Fase twee, ‘n valideringsproses van hierdie handleiding, wat op verdeel is in inhoudsgeldigheid (Fase 2a) en gesigsgeldigheid (Fase 2b). Fase een: 'n Omvattende literatuurstudie oor spesifieke voeding vereistes vir sport was saamgestel met behulp van wetenskaplike soekenjins met die fokus op aanbevelings en praktiese riglyne. Verder was die nuutste internasionaal- en plaaslik-gepubliseerde data oor sportvoeding gebruik om die basis van die handleiding te vorm. Fase 2a: Beginsels van die Delphi metode is gebruik vir voorlopige inhoudsgeldigheid. Drie rondtes van self-geadministreerde elektroniese vraelyste, ontwikkel en versprei deur die sagteware, SurveyMonkey.com® is gebruik ten einde die konsensus van ses kenners in die sportvoedingsveld te bekom. Fase 2b: Die gesigsgeldigheid van die handleiding was geverifieer deur middel van die voltooiing van 'n self-geadministreerde elektroniese vraelys, deur ook geruik te maak van die SurveyMonkey.com® sagteware en aan elf geregistreerde dieetkundiges wat vir die Universiteit van Stellenbosch Afdeling Menslike Voeding werk. Resultate: ‘n Omvattende sportvoedingshandleiding wat uit vier hoofstukke bestaan wat handel oor verskillende onderwerpe van die behoeftes van atlete tot praktiese idees vir daaglikse maaltye. Fase 2a het 'n responskoers gehad van 33%. Die vraelys van rondte een het bestaan uit oop vrae wat sleutel onderwerpe na vore gebring het om te bespreek tydens die volgende rondes, met verskillende opinies oor die lengte van die handleiding en hoe die inhoud aangebied is. Geen konsensus is bereik met nege van die dertien onderwerpe wat bespreek is tydens die tweede ronde nie, dus was daar ‘n derde en finale rondte benodig om konsensus te verseker. Data van die finale rondte het getoon dat voorlopige konsensus bereik is in verband met die inhoud van die handleiding met geringe verskille oor hoe die inligting in sekere hoofstukke aangebied moet word, asook of sommige inligtingstukke ingesluit moet word of nie. Minder as die helfde van die genooide dieetkundiges het die gesigsgeldigheid van die handleiding hersien vir Fase 2b. Die handleiding het 8.5 uit 10 gekry in terme van gebruikersvriendelikheid. Die grootte en lengte van die handleiding was gesien as toepaslik en die inligting maklik bekombaar. Algehele kwalitatiewe resultate het dus aangedui dat die handleiding geskik is vir die gebruik van privaat-praktiserende dieetkundiges. Gevolgtrekking: 'n Praktiese sportvoedingshandleiding is ontwikkel en voorlopige konsensus is bereik aangaande die toepaslikheid, relevansie en betekenisvolheid vir gebruik deur dieetkundiges wat in privaatpraktyk in Suid-Afrika werk.
Description
Thesis (MNutr)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.
Keywords
Athletes -- Nutrition -- South Africa, Sports -- Physiological aspects -- South Africa, Physical fitness -- Nutrition -- South Africa, Exercise -- Physiological aspects -- South Africa, UCTD
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