Prevalence of low energy availability in 25 New Zealand elite female rowers – A cross sectional study.

To quantify energy availability (EA) in elite female rowers, determine its association with bone mineral density (BMD), and examine the ability of the low energy availability in females-questionnaire (LEAF-Q) and brief eating disorder in athletes-questionnaire (BEDA-Q) to distinguish between low and normal EA. Observational cross-sectional study. Twenty-five elite female rowers participated in the study. EA was calculated by means of a 4-day food intake diary and analysis of training load. Low energy availability (LEA) was defined as EA < 30 kCal * kg⁻¹ * FFM⁻¹ * day⁻¹. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to assess fat free mass (FFM) and BMD Z-scores. LEA risk was assessed using the LEAF-Q and BEDA-Q. The mean EA was 23.2 ± 12.2 kCal * kg⁻¹ * FFM⁻¹ * day⁻¹. Prevalence of LEA was 64 %. The mean BMD Z-score was 1.6 ± 0.6 (range: 0.7 to 2.9). Athletes with LEA had a significantly higher BEDA-Q score than the group with normal EA (mean 0.30 ± 0.17 vs. 0.09 ± 0.11, P < 0.05), but LEAF-Q score was not different between groups (mean 10.4 ± 4.6, 8.2 ± 4.5, P = 0.29). Low energy availability is common amongst elite female rowers in New Zealand and is positively correlated with higher scores on the BEDA-Q. Bone mineral density was normal irrespective of EA status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]