What is it about?
In this study, we looked at the link between low energy availability (LEA) and eating disorder behavior with cholesterol levels in Finnish female athletes. LEA is common in athletes and can disrupt hormone levels, which might affect cholesterol levels and the overall cardiovascular health. We used two questionnaires to assess symptoms of LEA (LEAF-Q) and eating disorders (EDE-QS), and then measured their cholesterol levels. We found that higher scores on the eating disorder questionnaire were linked to higher LDL (bad) cholesterol, especially in athletes from lean sports. Athletes at risk for eating disorders or LEA also showed a tendency of having higher LDL cholesterol. Further research is needed to understand how these factors affect long-term cardiovascular health.
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Why is it important?
Cardiovascular diseases are a huge burden to our health services and they cause immense amounts of humane suffering. Overall, sports improves the cardiovascular health but LEA and disordered eating behavior can decrease and even reverse these positive effects.
Perspectives
This study supports the idea that problematic LEA can negatively influence LDL cholesterol levels in athletes. It was interesting that the association between disordered eating behavior and LDL cholesterol levels was independent of the symptoms of LEA. This is to our knowledge the first paper to study the association of cholesterol levels and disordered eating behavior in athletes. Further research is needed to investigate the possible long term consequences of LEA and disordered eating behavior in athletes' cholesterol metabolism and the overall cardiovascular health.
MD, PhD student Julia Ida Katariina Silvennoinen
Helsingin Yliopisto
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Association of LEAF-Q and EDE-QS scores with cholesterol levels in Finnish female athletes, BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, September 2024, BMJ,
DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002050.
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