RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To quantify energy availability (EA) in elite female rowers, determine its association with bone mineral density (BMD), and examine the ability of the low energy availability in females-questionnaire (LEAF-Q) and brief eating disorder in athletes-questionnaire (BEDA-Q) to distinguish between low and normal EA. DESIGN: Observational cross-sectional study. METHODS: Twenty-five elite female rowers participated in the study. EA was calculated by means of a 4-day food intake diary and analysis of training load. Low energy availability (LEA) was defined as EA <30 kCal * kg-1 * FFM-1 * day-1. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to assess fat free mass (FFM) and BMD Z-scores. LEA risk was assessed using the LEAF-Q and BEDA-Q. RESULTS: The mean EA was 23.2⯱â¯12.2 kCal * kg-1 * FFM-1 * day-1. Prevalence of LEA was 64â¯%. The mean BMD Z-score was 1.6⯱â¯0.6 (range: 0.7 to 2.9). Athletes with LEA had a significantly higher BEDA-Q score than the group with normal EA (mean 0.30⯱â¯0.17 vs. 0.09⯱â¯0.11, Pâ¯<â¯0.05), but LEAF-Q score was not different between groups (mean 10.4⯱â¯4.6, 8.2⯱â¯4.5, Pâ¯=â¯0.29). CONCLUSION: Low energy availability is common amongst elite female rowers in New Zealand and is positively correlated with higher scores on the BEDA-Q. Bone mineral density was normal irrespective of EA status.