The Association Of Low Energy Availability Knowledge And Risk In Female Track And Field Athletes

Low energy availability (LEA) is a mismatch between dietary energy intake and exercise energy expenditure, which is the cause of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), a condition associated with an array of health and performance consequences. Strategies are needed to improve REDs outcomes, but few studies have explored the association among LEA knowledge, LEA risk, and REDs outcomes. PURPOSE: To assess the association between LEA knowledge and: 1) LEA risk/eating disorder/disordered eating (ED/DE) risk, and 2) REDs outcomes. METHODS: Female track and field (T&F) athletes completed an online survey. Sports nutrition knowledge related to LEA was assessed via the Female Energy Deficiency Knowledge Questionnaire (FED-Q), an adaptation of a previously validated questionnaire. LEA risk was assessed via the LEA in Females Questionnaires (LEAF-Q) and training volume and ED/DE risk via the Female Athlete Screening Tool (FAST) and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). REDs outcomes were self-reported. Pearson’s correlations and Students T-tests were used to explore relationships among LEA and ED/DE risk, REDs outcomes, and LEA/REDs knowledge; ɑ set ≤ 0.05 a priori. RESULTS: Of the participants fulfilling inclusion criteria (n = 368; age 29 ± 8 years), 49% were above the high-risk cutoff score for LEA (score ≥ 8) on the LEAF-Q, and 22% demonstrated high ED risk (score ≥ 2.3) via the EDE-Q. There was a significant relationship between FED-Q score and mean (r = -0.169, p = 0.001) and peak (r = -0.217, p < 0.001) training hours, mean (r = 0.144, p = 0.007) and peak (r = 0.148, p = 0.005) weekly mileage, but not LEAF-Q score. There was a negative correlation between FAST and FED-Q (r = -0.107, p = 0.04), but not EDE-Q score. No significant relationships were found between the FED-Q and menstrual function, GI function, athlete availability, or mental health issues. However, there was a significant correlation between FED-Q score and bone stress injury (BSI) number (r = 0.133, p = 0.010) and high-risk BSI number (r = 0.184, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We found greater knowledge of LEA was associated with both greater training volumes and history of BSI, but not with higher LEA or ED risk. It is unclear whether knowledge was obtained prior to or after BSI. Future research is needed to elucidate the direction and cause of this relationship. The authors have nothing to declare.