| Description |
The Female Athlete Triad (Triad) is a syndrome comprised of three interrelated conditions - disordered eating, menstrual irregularities, and compromised bone health. Understanding how, and to what extent, this syndrome affects adolescent athletes may help develop intervention programs to mitigate the frequency among female athletes and lessen the health impacts of the Triad later in life. Female adolescent athletes, 13-19 years old, were recruited through high school sport teams, camps, and athletic training facilities, to participate in a secure, confidential online survey. A partly self-developed questionnaire addressed the history and current status of menstrual function, weight, injuries, eating habits, sport participation, and training load. The Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) and Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale were included to assess disordered eating and stressful situations respectively. Athletes were categorized based on sport type (aesthetic, endurance, team, other) to determine whether observance of Triad components differed among sport groups. Of the 79 athletes who completed the survey, 22.7% met the criteria for disordered eating, categorized by at least one of the following: previous diagnosis of an eating disorder, elevated EDI body dissatisfaction or drive for thinness subscale scores, use of laxatives, diet pills, or purging to control weight. Menstrual dysfunction, oligo/amenorrhea, was stated by 53.8% of athletes and 23.9% reported a sport-related bone injury. Two Triad components were observed in 5.7-15.2% of athletes and three components existed in 3.8%. Age at menarche, number of lifetime menstrual cycles, Body Mass Index (BMI), EDI subscale scores, and overall Triad prevalence were not significantly related to sport group. Triad risk was influenced by expression of body weight dissatisfaction, stress related to body shape and sport performance, and additional exercise beyond training for sport. In conclusion, focusing Triad prevention programs toward adolescents as well as parents, coaches, and athletic trainers and addressing issues related to stress, self-esteem, and body image may help reduce Triad prevalence in later years. |
