Journal of women's health
-
Journal of women's health · Feb 2025
Female Athlete Triad Knowledge and the Risk of Low Energy Availability and Disordered Eating in Recreationally Active and Competitive Adult Females.
Objective: To examine and compare the knowledge related to the female athlete triad and the signs and symptoms of low energy availability (LEA) and disordered eating (DE) in competitive (CO) and recreationally active (RA) females. Methods: Premenopausal females (n = 631, age 25 ± 7 years) completed an electronic survey that assessed female athlete triad knowledge and risk for LEA and DE. Participants self-selected as CO (n = 123) or RA (n = 508). ⋯ Conclusion: There is a lack of knowledge related to the female athlete triad, coupled with a relatively high prevalence of LEA and DE risk among physically active females, regardless of athletic status (CO vs. RA). Given the high prevalence of LEA and DE risk found in our study, expanding nutrition education and awareness of the health consequences of the female athlete triad to all physically active females is warranted.