Advancing Knowledge of the Bio-Cultural Complexities of Low Energy Availability: The Value of Mixed-Methods Approaches
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Experimental Design
2.2. Participants
2.3. Physiological Measures
2.3.1. Energy Availability and Resting Metabolic Rate
2.3.2. Haematological Measures
2.3.3. Body Composition and Bone Health Parameters
2.4. Socio-Psychological Measures: Interviews
2.5. Data Analysis
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Endurance Example: Monitoring Food Intake to Keep Low Body Weight and Increase Performance
3.2. Rugby Example: Hierarchy among Players and Food Surveillance
3.3. Cycling Example: Coach–Athlete Relationships
3.4. Strengths and Limitations
3.5. Summary
4. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Endurance (n = 11) | Rugby (n = 9) | Cycling (n = 10) | |
---|---|---|---|
Demographics | |||
Age (year) | 33.8 ± 6.6 | 21.8 ± 2.6 | 22.6 ± 4.2 |
Height (cm) | 168.0 ± 5.8 | 167.4 ± 3.4 | 171.1 ± 4.4 |
Body mass (kg) | 60.2 ± 7.1 | 69.2 ± 9.7 | 68.1 ± 4.5 |
Body mass index (kg/m2) | 21.3 ± 1.9 | 24.4 ± 2.7 | 23.2 ± 0.7 |
Body composition | |||
Body fat (%) | 18.2 ± 5.1 | 20.9 ± 1.9 | 22.3 ± 2.4 |
Fat-free mass (kg) | 48.3 ± 4.7 | 51.9 ± 5.8 | 54.1 ± 4.3 |
Topic Area | Content |
---|---|
Low energy availability | Experiences, knowledge, and information sources |
Menstruation | Menstrual cycle irregularity, source of irregularity, professional health support, perceived links to health and performance, and period pain |
Body Image | Body changes, body relationships, and body image pressures and the sources of those pressures (both internal and external to sport) |
Nutrition | Nutrition practices to improve health/performance, pressures, common nutritional ideas and practices within the sport, information sources, and support |
Sporting Environment | Relationships with others (i.e., coaches, other athletes, family members, and media) and how these shaped athlete relationships with food, body image, performance, and who they talked to about health issues (including menstrual changes and other LEA symptoms) |
Sport (n) | Summary of Findings |
---|---|
Endurance (n = 11) | 82% classified as having LEA Positive relationship between EI and serum ferritin levels |
Rugby (n = 9) | 22% classified as having LEA Those classified as having LEA had higher EEE levels than those classified as having HEA |
Cycling (n = 11) | 70% classified as having LEA Those classified as having LEA had lower EI and lower fat intake than those classified as having HEA |
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Schofield, K.L.; Thorpe, H.; Sims, S.T. Advancing Knowledge of the Bio-Cultural Complexities of Low Energy Availability: The Value of Mixed-Methods Approaches. Physiologia 2023, 3, 461-471. https://doi.org/10.3390/physiologia3030033
Schofield KL, Thorpe H, Sims ST. Advancing Knowledge of the Bio-Cultural Complexities of Low Energy Availability: The Value of Mixed-Methods Approaches. Physiologia. 2023; 3(3):461-471. https://doi.org/10.3390/physiologia3030033
Chicago/Turabian StyleSchofield, Katherine L., Holly Thorpe, and Stacy T. Sims. 2023. "Advancing Knowledge of the Bio-Cultural Complexities of Low Energy Availability: The Value of Mixed-Methods Approaches" Physiologia 3, no. 3: 461-471. https://doi.org/10.3390/physiologia3030033