An Assessment of the Early Symptoms of Energy Deficiency as a Female Athlete Triad Risk among the Polish National Kayaking Team Using LEAF-Q

Joanna Witkoś, Grzegorz Błażejewski and Marcin Gierach
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Joanna Witkoś: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, G. Herlinga-Grudzinskiego Street 1, 30-705 Kraków, Poland
Grzegorz Błażejewski: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, G. Herlinga-Grudzinskiego Street 1, 30-705 Kraków, Poland
Marcin Gierach: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Skłodowskiej-Curie Street 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Kayaking is a high intensity sport that demands high levels of aerobic and anaerobic capacity as well as a great deal of strength and endurance. The aim of this study was an assessment of the frequency of occurrence of early low energy availability symptoms using the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire for women belonging to the Polish national kayaking team. Additionally, quantitative measurements of body composition and levels of calcium were performed. Methods: The study involved 33 women who were competitors in the Polish national kayaking team. Results: An analysis of the results in terms of disorders in the monthly cycle in the tested kayakers found that only five competitors, approximately 15% of the entire group, had this type of problem. Between the participants who had disorders of the menstrual cycle and those whose cycle was normal, there was only a statistically significant difference at the level of p < 0.001 in relation to the age of the kayakers. Conclusions: The Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire proved to be a useful screening tool, which allowed for the early detection of Female Athlete Triad symptoms in several young female kayakers from the Polish national team.

Keywords: female athlete triad; low energy availability in females questionnaire; kayaking; women (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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