The female athlete triad

The Limited Impact of Low-Volume Recreational Dance on Three-Compartment Body Composition and Apparent Bone Mineral Density in Young Girls

Recreational dance is practiced worldwide as a multidimensional physical activity with a potential for prevention of a sedentary lifestyle and overweight/obesity. This study explored in young (7−15 year; n = 21) girls the effect of long-term (>1 year) exposure to recreational (2 h/w) dancing on three-compartment body composition. Recreational dancers (RD) were compared with recreational (≤4 h/w) artistic gymnasts (RG, n = 22) and physically active young girls not involved in structured extracurricular physical activity (control; C, n = 22), adjusting for confounding variables (age, body mass, menarche). We hypothesized for RD an intermediate body composition between RG and C. The three groups had similar age and body mass index. Body composition indices in RD were intermediate between that of C and RG, but RD values were not statistically significantly different vs. C. This agreed with the not statistically significant higher energy expenditure (MET-min/w) in RD vs. C (1357.7 ± 805.32 and 1090.9 ± 596.63, p = 0.172). In conclusion, long-term recreational dance exposure at low volume had limited positive effect on body composition of young girls vs. unstructured extracurricular physical activity. Future work will explore the potential of recreational dance at higher volume (3−4 h/w) to improve body composition in young girls.

Energy Expenditure, Availability, and Dietary Intake Assessment in Competitive Female Dragon Boat Athletes

Dragon boat racing requires high physical activity levels during competition and training. The female athletic triad refers to a number of negative health consequences (e.g., amenorrhoea, low bone mineral density, and low energy availability) that may result from high physical activity in female athletes in parallel with inadequate dietary intake. This study aimed to estimate energy expenditure and dietary adequacy in female competitive dragon boat athletes. Following ethical approval, energy expenditure was assessed by use of Sensewear^TM armbands (which measure movement as well as galvanic heat loss) on nine dragon boat athletes preparing for the Southeast Asian Games 2013. The mean estimated energy expenditure for the athletes was 2226 ± 711 kJ/day. Mean total energy, recorded using three-day food diaries (6715 ± 2518 kJ/day) and energy availability (99 ± 56 kJ/kg/day), were low. Estimated micronutrient intake (calcium 699.3 ± 328.7 mg/day and iron 10.6 ± 4.7 mg/day) did not meet recommended daily allowances of 800 mg/day and 19 mg/day, respectively. The low intake of energy, calcium, and iron noted within this study could have negative effects on performance and short- and long-term health in female dragon boat athletes.

Bone density in cerebral palsy

This article discusses the problem of osteoporosis in cerebral palsy. Osteoporosis remains a major health problem worldwide. Cerebral palsy is the most prevalent childhood condition associated with osteoporosis. Bone density is significantly decreased. Children with cerebral palsy often sustain painful fractures with minimal trauma that impair their function and quality of life. This article addresses the anatomy and structure of bone and bone metabolism, the clinical assessment of bone mass, the causes of osteoporosis and its evaluation and treatment in children with cerebral palsy.

Influence of high-intensity training and of dietetic and anthropometric factors on menstrual cycle disorders in ballet dancers

Background. Intensity of exercise and low energy consumption, specific type and amount of training, early age at initiation, previous menstrual dysfunctions, low body mass index (BMI) or percentage body fat, pathological feeding habits and psychological stress have been suggested as potential factors accountable for menstrual irregularities in female athletes.Aim. To evaluate the influence of intensive training and of dietetic and anthropometric factors on menstrual cycles in female ballet dancers.Method. A case-control study, in which a structured interview and physical examination were carried out in two groups of teenagers aged between 12 and 18 years. The study included a total of 115 adolescent girls distributed in two groups: dancers (group B, n = 38) and girls of the same age not engaged in any sports activity (group C, n = 77).Results. Early starting high-intensity training delayed the onset of menarche ( p < 0.001). Dancers had a higher prevalence of oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea than control girls ( p = 0.004). Additionally, the dancers had lower scores in anthropometric variables: breast circumference 80 cm vs. 86.6 cm for controls ( p = 0.0001), low weight in 18% of dancers vs. 2.6% of controls ( p = 0.0001), and low height in 18% of dancers vs. 9% of controls ( p = 0.016). In addition, in dancers, low BMI was observed in 21% compared with 13% of controls ( p = 0.0001). Finally, 32% of the dancers were on a weight-control diet while this percentage decreased to 12% for the girls in control group (odds ratio = 3.49, 95% confidence interval = 1.31-9.25).Conclusions. In ballet dancers, high-intensity training was associated with late onset of menarche, menstrual disorders, lower weight and height development, and abnormal feeding behaviors.