Background: Nutrition education (NE) has the potential to be a catalyst for athletes to optimise their diet and consequently enhance performance. However, very little research has been undertaken to understand what athletes would like in a nutrition education programme (NEP). The present study aimed to investigate the preferences of elite athletes for a NEP with a specific focus on preferences for pedagogy, content, format, and facilitator. Methods: Athletes (n=124, median (IQR)=22 (9) years, female 54.8%) competing at a national or international level from 22 sports, and living in New Zealand (n=101, 81.5%) and Australia (n=19, 15.3%) participated in an online survey developed by the researchers. Responses (from descriptive Likert scales, ranking of preferences, single and multiple answer multi-choice questions) were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Athletes were very (45.2%) or extremely interested (37.9%) in NE and value a NEP that is engaging (96.0%) and credible (91.1%). Teaching techniques considered extremely effective for learning were life examples (47.6%), applied hands on activities (30.6%), and discussions with the facilitator (30.6%). Setting personal nutrition goals was important to most athletes (83.9%), along with two-way feedback with the facilitator (75.0%). General nutrition topics considered an essential priority for NE were energy requirements (52.4% of athletes), hydration (52.4%), and nutrient deficiencies (41.9%). Performance topics considered essential were recovery (58.1%), pre-exercise nutrition (51.6%), nutrition during exercise (50.0%) and energy requirements for training (49.2%). Adapting meals for training requirements (37.9% of athletes) and behaviour change techniques (26.6%) were considered essential nutrition-related life-skills. Credible content was important (91.1%), and most participants wanted some repetition of topics (69.4%). Athletes` top-ranked setting preferences were `in person group sessions` (mean rank 4.66), followed by a `mixture of in person one-on-one and group sessions` (mean rank 4.55), and `one-on-one sessions` (mean rank 4.48). For both online and in person group sessions most athletes wanted to share NE with athletes of the same sporting calibre (61.3%) and with 6-10 others (in person 44.4%, online 31.5%). Preferred session duration was 31-60 minutes (in person 63.7%, online 58.9%) and held monthly (in person 36.3%, online 38.7%). A performance dietitian or nutritionist was the top-ranked facilitator (mean rank 4.09), followed by a sports/exercise physiologist (mean rank 4.07), and an experienced athlete in the sport (mean rank 3.69). Preferred facilitator traits were credibility (73.4%), experience in sports nutrition (76.6%) and knowledge of the sport (85.5%). Conclusions: Athletes were interested in NE and valued an engaging NEP that included kinaesthetic, aural, and visual teaching techniques. Athletes preferred `in person group sessions` for the delivery of NE. Preferences were that content be credible, and covered a mixture of general, performance and skills-based nutrition topics, such as adapting meals for sporting requirements. Credibility of the facilitator was important, as was experience in sports nutrition and knowledge of the athlete`s sport. Further research is needed with athletes at different levels and across all sports to further understand athletes` preferences for NE.
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