What is the relationship between disordered eating and low energy availability?
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) mission is to lead and enable a united high performance (HP) system that supports Australian athletes/teams to achieve podium success.
What is the relationship between disordered eating and low energy availability?
Disordered eating and low energy availability can occur together, or in isolation. Identification of one necessitates the investigation of the other.
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Low Energy Availability (LEA) - LEA in athletes can occur due to causes other than DE/ED
- Misguided attempts to lose body mass/body fat
- Lack of time, resources or knowledge to meet the increased energy requirements of heavy training or competition
DE/ED is a common cause of LEA in athletes
Disordered Eating/ Eating Disorders (DE/ED) - Not all DE/ED involve sufficient or consistent energy restriction to meet criteria for LEA
Energy Availability = the amount of energy available to support the body’s health and function activities once the energy committed to exercise has been subtracted from dietary energy intake.
= (Energy intake - Energy cost of exercise)/Fat free mass
Low Energy Availability occurs when there is a mis-match between energy intake and exercise load, leaving insufficient energy to cover the body’s other needs. This may lead to a decrease in metabolic rate and reduction in activity of many body systems, and underpins the Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) syndrome.
The DSM-5 recognises the following ED:
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervose
- Binge Eating Disorder
- Other specified feeding and eating disorders
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
References
Mountjoy et al. IOC Consensus Statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S): 2018 Update. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018; 28(4):316-331
American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association, 2013.