Osteoporosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Osteoporosis, including details on symptoms, treatment, prevention, causes.

Prevalence of female athlete triad characteristics in a club triathlon team.

Hoch AZ, Stavrakos JE, Schimke JE

Women's Sports Medicine Program/Sports Medicine Center, Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. azeni@mcw.edu

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of the female athlete triad in club triathletes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Academic medical center in the midwestern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen women (mean age, 35+/-6 y). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Disordered eating and menstrual status were determined by questionnaires. Energy status was determined by a 3-day food record, resting energy expenditure, and exercise energy output. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in the total left hip and lumbar spine (L2-4) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Sixty percent of the triathletes were found to be in calorie deficit, 53% had a carbohydrate deficit, 47% had a fat deficit, 40% had a protein deficit, and 33% had a calcium deficit. Forty percent of triathletes reported a history of amenorrhea. BMD was normal in the lumbar spine (L2-4) (1.3+/-0.1 g/cm(2)) and total left hip (1.1+/-0.1 g/cm(2)). CONCLUSIONS: Triathletes are at risk for components of the female athlete triad. Continued efforts need to be directed at prevention through education of athletes, coaches, parents, and health care professionals.

Published 30 April 2007 in Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 88(5): 681-2.
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