Fitness athletes emphasize the value of staying lean, muscular and defined, and motivates and inspires followers through social media. We want to study the effect of such lifestyle on selected aspects of psychological and physical health in female fitness athletes, and compare the outcomes to a healthy, physically active female population.
Little is known about the mental and physical health effect from following the modern, idealized fitness lifestyle. The lifestyle is characterized by selective and restrictive eating behavior, strength training and use of supplements. The athletes emphasize the value of staying lean, muscular and defined, and motivates and inspires followers through social media. This study will recruit and observe a group of competitive female fitness athletes over their typical 3 month dieting period when preparing for contest. Before their contest diet is initiated, the athletes will be screened on selected aspects of psychological and physical health. The screening is repeated two weeks prior to their first seasonal contest, and then finally one month post-contest season. During the diet period of 3 months, the athletes answers brief questionnaires by email on eating- and training behavior and on mood, while also reporting dietary intake by telephone interview. Recreational physically females, not planning to do any fitness contest, will be recruited to serve as a parallel control group. They will perform the same physical and psychological screening, and answer the same questionnaires throughout the fitness contest diet period.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
47
Observing and measuring baseline, and changes in, psychological health through a fitness contest preparation period
Observing and measuring baseline, and changes in, physiological health through a fitness contest preparation period
Norwegian School of Sports Sciences
Oslo, Norway
Body composition
Baseline values, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from mid- to post-test, for lean body mass and fat mass, measured with Dual Xray absorptiometry (DXA)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Resting Metabolic Rate
Baseline values, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from mid- to posttest, for resting metabolic rate, measured with indirect calorimetry
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Bone Mineral Density
Baseline values, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from mid- to post-test, for bone mineral density measured with Dual Xray absorptiometry (DXA)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Perfectionism
Comparing scores on perfectionism between case and controls, and individual changes in scores through study period, with Child Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS 22 items)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Depression
Baseline values, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from mid- to post-test, for scores on depressive mood, measured with Becks Depression Inventory (BDI)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Eating disorders
Baseline values, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from mid- to post-test, for scores on Eating disorder examination questionnaire (EDE-q)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Eating behavior; binge eating
Baseline values, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from mid- to post-test, for scores on Binge Eating Scale (BES)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Eating behavior; restrictive eating and sensation of hunger
Baseline values, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from mid- to post-test, for scores on Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-21)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Menstrual Status, self-reported
Baseline status, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from mid- to post-test, for self-reported menstruation health (Low Energy Availability in Females questionnaire, LEAF)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Dietary intake, weighed diet registration
Change in dietary intake. Baseline status, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from pre- to post-test, evaluated with weighed dietary registration and analysed with national analytical software (Kostholdsplanleggeren.no)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Exercise dependency
Baseline status, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from pre- to post-test, evaluated with Exercise Dependency Scale (EDS)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Reason for Exercise
Baseline status, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from pre- to post-test, evaluated with Reason for Exercise Inventory (REI)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Depression
Changes in reported state of depression during the dieting period of fitness athletes, measured with BDI
Time frame: Each 2nd week during the 3 month contest dieting period (between pre-test and mid-test)
Dietary intake, 24-hour recall interview
Changes in energy and nutrient intake during the dieting period of fitness athletes, measured with dietary 24-hour recall interview and analysed with national analytical software (Kostholdsplanleggeren.no)
Time frame: Each 2nd week during the 3 month contest dieting period (between pre-test and mid-test)
Menstrual cycle, self reported
Self reported menstrual bleeding's during the dieting period of fitness athletes (LEAF)
Time frame: Each 2nd week during the 3 month contest dieting period (between pre-test and mid-test)
Eating disordered behavior
Changes in eating behavior during the dieting period of fitness athletes, measured with the behavioral aspects of EDE-q
Time frame: Each 2nd week during the 3 month contest dieting period (between pre-test and mid-test)
Eating behavior; binge eating behavior
Changes in eating behavior during the dieting period of fitness athletes, measured with BES
Time frame: Each 2nd week during the 3 month contest dieting period (between pre-test and mid-test)
Eating behavior; restrictive eating and sensation of hunger
Changes in eating behavior during the dieting period of fitness athletes, measured with TFEQ-21
Time frame: Each 2nd week during the 3 month contest dieting period (between pre-test and mid-test)
Training volume, self reported
Reporting number of training sessions pr week and type of exercise (endurance related exercise or strength training)
Time frame: Each 2nd week during the 3 month contest dieting period (between pre-test and mid-test)
Training history, self reported
Reporting experience with training, giving details on specific sport activity and typical intensity
Time frame: Retrospective
Dietary Supplements
Reporting usage of dietary supplements during the dieting period
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest), and each 2nd week during the 3 month contest dieting period (between pre-test and mid-test)
Eating disorders, history
Reporting previous eating disorder and whether treatment were recieved or not
Time frame: Retrospective
Drive for Muscularity
Baseline status, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from pre- to post-test, evaluated with Drive for Muscularity (DM) (McCreary \& Sasse 2000)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Drive for Leanness
Baseline status, change from pre-test to mid-test, and finally change from pre- to post-test, evaluated with Drive for Leanness (DL) (Smolak \& Murnen 2008)
Time frame: Pre-test (3 months before contest), mid-test (2 weeks before contest) and post-test (one month post-contest)
Body Weight, history
Reporting lowest and highest bodyweight after 18 yr's of age (excluding periods of pregnancy)
Time frame: Retrospective
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