Barrack MT, Domino S, Gray VB, Cotter JA, Rauh MJ, Nichols JF. Support for inadvertent undereating in female adolescent athletes with clinical indicators of low energy availability.
J Sci Med Sport 2023:S1440-2440(23)00072-5. [PMID:
37248163 DOI:
10.1016/j.jsams.2023.04.003]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
This study evaluated pathways to low energy availability in a sample of female adolescent athletes (n = 464).
DESIGN
Cross-sectional.
METHODS
Participants (age 13-18 y) underwent assessments for height, weight, eating attitudes and behaviors, and menstrual function. Bone mineral density and body composition were evaluated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in a subset of participants (n = 209). Athletes were classified with clinical indicators of low energy availability if they met criteria for 1) primary or secondary amenorrhea or 2) clinical underweight status (body mass index-for-age < 5th percentile). Disordered eating was assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire.
RESULTS
Thirty (6.5%) athletes exhibited clinical indicators of low energy availability, with higher estimates in leanness than non-leanness sports (10.9% vs. 2.1%, p < 0.005). Among athletes with clinical indicators of low energy availability, 80% (n = 24) did not meet criteria for disordered eating, eating disorder, or report the desire to lose weight. Athletes with (vs. without) clinical indicators of low energy availability exhibited lower lumbar spine (-1.30 ± 1.38 vs. -0.07 ± 1.21, p < 0.001) and total body (-0.30 ± 0.98 vs. 0.53 ± 0.97, p < 0.006) bone mineral density Z-scores.
CONCLUSIONS
A majority of female adolescent athletes with clinical indicators of low energy availability did not exhibit characteristics consistent with intentional dietary restriction, supporting the significance of the inadvertent pathway to low energy availability and need for increased nutrition education in this population.
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