Sports Dietitian practices for assessing and managing athletes at risk of low energy availability (LEA)

Amy-Lee Bowler; Vernon G Coffey; Gregory Cox

doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2022.02.002

Back

Sports Dietitian practices for assessing and managing athletes at risk of low energy availability (LEA)

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Sports Dietitian practices for assessing and managing athletes at risk of low energy availability (LEA)

Amy-Lee Bowler, Vernon G Coffey and Gregory Cox

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Vol.25(6), pp.460-465

2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2022.02.002

PMID: 35272936

Abstract

relative energy deficiency in sport

nutrition assessment

clinical evaluation

sports nutritional sciences

surveys and questionnaires

Objectives To characterise the assessment and management practices employed by Sports Dietitians when assessing and managing athletes at risk of low energy availability (LEA). Design 55 Sports Dietitians participated in an online questionnaire that captured the typical methods used to identify and manage LEA in athletic populations. Methods The questionnaire consisted of 27 questions which explored common methods used to identify and manage LEA, as well as dietary methods employed and barriers experienced by Sports Dietitians. Results Broadly, the top 3 nutrition-related priorities for respondents were nutrition strategies to support training, competition, and recovery while ‘LEA’ was ranked fifth. ‘Dietary intake’, ‘menstrual function’ and ‘training load (km/week)’ were the primary methods used to assess LEA and respondents were ‘confident’ in their ability to correctly identify athletes at risk. Among support personnel, coaches were rarely a referral source for management of LEA but did present frequent communication difficulties. Respondents indicated athletes have concerns about undesirable changes in body composition when providing recommendations of increased energy intake for LEA management. Conclusions Sport Dietitians appear to recognise and prioritise LEA management in athletes, but assessments are limited to dietary intake and training load (km/week); with collaborative approaches to LEA management lacking. Sports Dietitian may be overconfident in their ability to identify LEA as only a limited number of assessment methods are commonly used. Access to reliable assessments methods and collaborative management approaches are needed to improve athlete care when suspected of LEA.

Details

Title: Sports Dietitian practices for assessing and managing athletes at risk of low energy availability (LEA)
Authors: Amy-Lee Bowler - Bond University
Vernon G Coffey - Bond University
Gregory Cox (Corresponding Author) - Bond University
Publication details: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Vol.25(6), pp.460-465
Publisher: Elsevier Australia
Date published: 2022
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.02.002
ISSN: 1878-1861
PMID: 35272936
Data Availability: There is no unpublished data from the study.
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Nutrition & Dietetics
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991008297402621
Output Type: Journal article