RESUMEN
Sound general and sports nutrition knowledge in athletes is essential for making appropriate dietary choices. Assessment of nutrition knowledge enables evaluation and tailoring of nutrition education. However, few well-validated tools are available to assess nutrition knowledge in athletes. The objective of the present study was to establish the validity of the Platform to Evaluate Athlete Knowledge Sports - Nutrition Questionnaire (PEAKS-NQ) for use in the United Kingdom and Irish (UK-I) athletes. To confirm content validity, twenty-three sports nutritionists (SNs) from elite, UK-I sports institutes provided feedback on the PEAKS-NQ via a modified Delphi method. After minor changes, the UK-I version of the PEAKS-NQ was administered to UK-I SN from the British Dietetic Association Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register, and elite athletes (EA) training at elite sports institutes in the UK and Ireland. Independent samples t-test and independent samples median tests were used to compare PEAKS-NQ total and subsection scores between EA and SN (to assess construct validity). Cronbach's alpha (good ≥ 0â 7) was used to establish internal consistency. The SN achieved greater overall [SN (n 23) 92â 3 (9â 3) v. EA (n 154): 71â 4 (10â 0)%; P < 0â 001] and individual section scores (P < 0â 001) except Section B, Identification of Food Groups (P = 0â 07). Largest knowledge differences between SN and EA were in Section D, Applied Sports Nutrition [SN: 88â 5 (8â 9) v. EA: 56â 7 (14â 5)%; P < 0â 00]. Overall ES was large (2â 1), with subsections ranging from 0â 6 to 2â 3. Cronbach's alpha was good (0â 83). The PEAKS-NQ had good content and construct validity, supporting its use to assess nutrition knowledge of UK-I athletes.