ACSM Position Stand: The Female Athlete Triad
Abstract
The Female Athlete Triad is a syndrome occurring in physically active girls and women. Its interrelated components are disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. Pressure placed on young women to achieve or maintain unrealistically low body weight underlies development of the Triad. Adolescents and women training in sports in which low body weight is emphasized for athletic activity or appearance are at greatest risk. Girls and women with one component of the Triad should be screened for the others. Alone or in combination, Female Athlete Triad disorders can decrease physical performance and cause morbidity and mortality. More research is needed on its causes, prevalence, treatment, and consequences. All individuals working with physically active girls and women should be educated about the Female Athlete Triad and develop plans to prevent, recognize, treat, and reduce its risks.
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Prospective studies to date illustrate a causal relationship between low energy availability and menstrual disturbances.
“Prospective studies to date illustrate a causal relationship between LEA and menstrual disturbances [9,10,11,12,13,14].”
From Considerations of Low Carbohydrate Availability (LCA) to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) in Female Endurance Athletes: A Narrative Review (2023) · cites this paper as [10]
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- Authors
- Otis, C. L., Drinkwater, B., Johnson, M., Loucks, A., & Wilmore, J.
- ORCID
- Otis, Carol L.
- Venue
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
- Published
- 1997-05
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- i-ix
- ISSN
- 0195-9131 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2043094906
- Cited by
- 515
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 15.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Bone health and osteoporosis research
- Keywords
- female athlete triad, disordered eating, amenorrhea, osteoporosis, underweight, youth athletes, female athletes, screening, prevention, physical performance
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