Author(s): TORSTVEIT, M., DAHL, R.V., FAHRENHOLTZ, I.L., BIRKELAND, I., KITTELSTAD, V.L., VIK, L., IVARSSON, A., SOLSTAD, B.E., Institution: UNIVERSITY OF AGDER, Country: NORWAY, Abstract-ID: 2064

INTRODUCTION:
Nutrition and recovery are vital for young athletes. Students entering specialized sports programs face high training volumes, heightening their nutritional and recovery demands. Research is therefore needed to develop educational strategies to meet these needs. This mixed-methods study evaluates feasibility and acceptability of the FUEL (Facilitating Understanding of Energy for Longevity in sport) Young intervention, specifically regarding video format, difficulty, participant motivation, and overall satisfaction.
METHODS:
The FUEL Young intervention was an 8-week quasi-experimental study involving first-year upper secondary student-athletes (females n = 65; males n = 75; M = 16.5 years, SD = 0.5 years) at two schools in Southern Norway. Participants received a weekly educational video on sports nutrition and recovery. Quantitative analyses measuring feasibility and acceptability outcomes included only participants who reported watching ≥1 educational video (53%). Feasibility outcomes (duration, frequency, difficulty) were assessed using 3- (duration, frequency) and 5-point (difficulty) Likert scales, whereas acceptability outcomes (motivation, satisfaction) were rated on a 10-point Likert scale. Five participants completed weekly prospective semi-structured interviews throughout the intervention period. Quantitative data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests and Spearman’s rank correlation, while qualitative data were analyzed using a critical realist approach to thematic analysis.
RESULTS:
Participants rated video duration (M = 2.47, SD = 0.50), frequency (M = 1.74, SD = 0.47), and difficulty (M = 2.90, SD = 0.55) as generally appropriate. Motivation to watch the videos was low-to-moderate (M = 4.40, SD = 2.26), while overall satisfaction was moderate (M = 6.09, SD = 2.06). Mann–Whitney U tests revealed no significant differences in post-test variables regarding gender (U = 572–692, all ps > .05) or study program (elite vs. general sports; U = 497.5–584.0, all ps > .05). Motivation was positively correlated with the number of videos watched (r = .39, p < .001). Qualitative analysis generated three themes: 1) Student-athletes and their mental load, 2) Perceptions of the FUEL Young format, and 3) Learning processes and outcomes. Findings suggest that mental readiness is a decisive factor in applying knowledge. While the content was deemed relevant and credible, participants found some of the terminology challenging and requested more concrete examples. Notably, a clear discrepancy between behavioral intention and actual change was observed.
CONCLUSION:
The video delivery format demonstrated technical feasibility and moderate acceptability among engaged participants, though overall motivation to watch was variable. Qualitative insights, however, suggest that a gap remains between intention and behavioral implementation. To address this, future iterations should simplify terminology, incorporate concrete examples, and target athletes’ mental readiness.