Vitamin D Awareness and Intake in Collegiate Athletes
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Bennett A. Leitch [1] ; Patrick B. Wilson [2] ; Kelsey E. Ufholz [3] ; James N. Roemmich [3] ; Joanna Orysiak [4] ; Tanis J. Walch [1] ; Sandra E. Short ; John S. Fitzgerald
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[1] University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
City of Grand Forks, Estados Unidos
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[2] Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Estados Unidos
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[3] Agricultural Research Service
Agricultural Research Service
Estados Unidos
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[4] National Research Institute of Animal Production
National Research Institute of Animal Production
Kraków, Polonia
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- Localización: Journal of strength and conditioning research: the research journal of the NSCA, ISSN 1064-8011, Vol. 35, Nº. 10, 2021, págs. 2742-2748
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
Poor vitamin D status is a risk factor for negative health and performance outcomes in athletes, but little is known about how athletes' awareness and beliefs about vitamin D affect their consumption of vitamin D. This observational study investigated awareness of vitamin D for health and performance among collegiate athletes and evaluated the association of vitamin D awareness with its dietary intake. Fifty-two female and 29 male Division I collegiate athletes completed an online vitamin D awareness and dietary intake questionnaire between November 1, 2015, and January 30, 2016. Median intake of vitamin D was 330 International Units (IU), which is below the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 600 IU, but was greater in male athletes (693 IU) than female athletes (263 IU, p < 0.01). The RDA for vitamin D was met by 62% of men and 30% of women. Athletes responded that vitamin D "probably" or "definitely" will play a role in their health (88.9%) and athletic performance (71.6%). However, only 23.4 and 28.4% of athletes reported concern for their vitamin D levels or believed that they were at risk for deficiency, respectively. Results showed small-to-moderate, positive correlations (r = 0.28-0.495, p < 0.05) between aspects of vitamin D awareness and vitamin D intake, particularly with supplemental forms of vitamin D. Given the lack of awareness concerning risk of vitamin D deficiency, and the links between aspects of vitamin D awareness and vitamin D intake, nutritional education programs designed to increase vitamin D awareness in athletes may be an effective strategy to reduce deficiency.
