Body Composition, Resting Metabolic Rate and Dietary Habits of Lean and Non-lean Female Athletes
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Date
2009-06
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Athletes often desire to change body composition to enhance sport performance, and often practice chronic energy restriction to attain this change. This may change their energy needs. The aim of this study was to better understand the resting energy needs of female collegiate athletes by grouping sports into lean and nonlean categories and to evaluate accuracy of REE clinical equations in athletes. Measures of body composition using the BodPod and resting metabolic rate (RMR) using ReeVue indirect calorimetry were taken, and athletes took an online survey which included the EDE-Q, MBSRQ, tendency to diet scale, and physical activity and menstrual screening. Athletes (n=17) from Ohio State University’s varsity women’s swimming, synchronized swimming, soccer and ice hockey teams participated. No relationship was identified when comparing lean and nonlean sport dieting behaviors, RMR, and percent body fat. When all data were evaluated together, RMR correlated inversely with restrictive eating, and an inverse trend existed between RMR and EDE-Shape Concern. When evaluating the validity of traditional REE predictive equations, the differences between measured RMR and the Cunningham equation’s estimate were not statistically different than zero, and the Owen equation correlates most strongly with measured RMR. The study was greatly limited by the number of participants and time constraints; however some significant results and trends were noted. A study with better athlete participation and a larger variety of sports would likely provide stronger data.
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Keywords
body composition, resting metabolic rate, nutrition, athlete