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- Logue, Danielle M., et al.
(author)
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Low Energy Availability in Athletes 2020 : An Updated Narrative Review of Prevalence, Risk, Within-Day Energy Balance, Knowledge and Impact of Sports Performance
- 2020
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In: Nutrients. - : MDPI. - 2072-6643. ; 12:3, s. 1-19
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Low energy availability (EA) underpins the female and male athlete triad and relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S). The condition arises when insufficient calories are consumed to support exercise energy expenditure, resulting in compromised physiological processes, such as menstrual irregularities in active females. The health concerns associated with longstanding low EA include menstrual/libido, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular dysfunction and compromised bone health, all of which can contribute to impaired sporting performance. This narrative review provides an update of our previous review on the prevalence and risk of low EA, within-day energy deficiency, and the potential impact of low EA on performance. The methods to assess EA remain a challenge and contribute to the methodological difficulties in identifying "true" low EA. Screening female athletic groups using a validated screening tool such as the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) has shown promise in identifying endurance athletes at risk of low EA. Knowledge of RED-S and its potential implications for performance is low among coaches and athletes alike. Development of sport and gender-specific screening tools to identify adolescent and senior athletes in different sports at risk of RED-S is warranted. Education initiatives are required to raise awareness among coaches and athletes of the importance of appropriate dietary strategies to ensure that sufficient calories are consumed to support training.
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2. |
- Logue, Danielle M., et al.
(author)
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Self-reported reproductive health of athletic and recreational active males in Ireland : potential health effects interfering with perfromance
- 2021
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In: European Journal of Sport Science. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1746-1391 .- 1536-7290. ; 21:2, s. 275-284
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: The syndrome of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) consensus statements recognise that male athletes might have impaired fertility in terms of the Exercise Hypogonodal Male Condition (ExHMC). Thus, the aims of this study were to (1) identify risk of ExHMC in active males in various sports and (2) determine if associations between risk of ExHMC and health problems interfering with training and competition exist. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed online (November 2018–January 2019) using questions derived from the “Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male Questionnaire” (ADAM-Q) to assess risk of ExHMC. Additional questions were included to collect information on participant demographics, injury and illness history and dietary habits. Logistic regression analyses explored differences between groups. Results: Risk of ExHMC was identified in 23.3% (n = 185) of 794 questionnaire participants. Following multivariate analyses, risk of ExHMC was independently associated with a lower than normal sex drive rating within the last month (OR 7.62, 95%CI 4.99–11.63) and less than three morning erections per week within the last month (OR: 4.67, 95%CI 3.23–6.76). Risk of ExHMC was associated with 15–21 days absence from training or competition during the previous 6 months due to overload injuries in the univariate analysis (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.24–5.84). Conclusion: Risk of ExHMC and associated symptoms in this heterogeneous sample may be indicative of RED-S. Confounding factors such as over-training, medication use, fatigue and psychological stress need to be considered. Identification of male athletes exhibiting physiological symptoms associated with RED-S requires more research.
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3. |
- Spinelli, Angela, et al.
(author)
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Prevalence of Severe Obesity among Primary School Children in 21 European Countries
- 2019
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In: Obesity Facts. - : S. Karger. - 1662-4025 .- 1662-4033. ; 12:2, s. 244-258
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) was established more than 10 years ago to estimate prevalence and monitor changes in overweight and obesity in children aged 6-9 years. Since then, there have been five rounds of data collection in more than 40 countries involving more than half a million children. To date, no comparative studies with data on severe childhood obesity from European countries have been published.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to present the prevalence of severe obesity in school-aged children from 21 countries participating in COSI.METHOD: The data are from cross-sectional studies in 21 European WHO member states that took part in the first three COSI rounds of data collection (2007/2008, 2009/2010, 2012/2013). School-aged children were measured using standardized instruments and methodology. Children were classified as severely obese using the definitions provided by WHO and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). Analyses overtime, by child's age and mother's educational level, were performed in a select group of countries.RESULTS: A total of 636,933 children were included in the analysis (323,648 boys and 313,285 girls). The prevalence of severe obesity varied greatly among countries, with higher values in Southern Europe. According to the WHO definition, severe obesity ranged from 1.0% in Swedish and Moldovan children (95% CI 0.7-1.3 and 0.7-1.5, respectively) to 5.5% (95% CI 4.9-6.1) in Maltese children. The prevalence was generally higher among boys compared to girls. The IOTF cut-offs lead to lower estimates, but confirm the differences among countries, and were more similar for both boys and girls. In many countries 1 in 4 obese children were severely obese. Applying the estimates of prevalence based on the WHO definition to the whole population of children aged 6-9 years in each country, around 398,000 children would be expected to be severely obese in the 21 European countries. The trend between 2007 and 2013 and the analysis by child's age did not show a clear pattern. Severe obesity was more common among children whose mother's educational level was lower.CONCLUSIONS: Severe obesity is a serious public health issue which affects a large number of children in Europe. Because of the impact on educational, health, social care, and economic systems, obesity needs to be addressed via a range of approaches from early prevention of overweight and obesity to treatment of those who need it.
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4. |
- Taxová Braunerová, Radka, et al.
(author)
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Waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio in 7-year-old children : WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative
- 2021
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In: Obesity Reviews. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 1467-7881 .- 1467-789X. ; 22:S6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Childhood obesity is a serious global health problem. Waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) reflect body fat distribution in children. The objectives of this study were to assess WC and WHtR in 7-year-old children and to determine body mass index (BMI), WC, and WHtR differences in children from 10 selected countries across Europe (Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Norway, Spain, and Sweden) participating in the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). The 50th and 90th percentile of WC (according to COSI and "Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS" (IDEFICS) cutoff values) and WHtR above 0.5 were used as measures of abdominal obesity in a unique sample of 38,975 children aged 7.00-7.99 years. Southern European countries, including Greece and Spain, showed significantly higher BMI, WC, and WHtRin both genders (p < 0.0001) than Eastern and Northern Europe. The highest values for WC were observed in Greece (60.8 ± 7.36 cm boys; 60.3 ± 7.48 cm girls), North Macedonia (60.4 ± 7.91 cm boys; 59.0 ± 8.01 cm girls), and Spain (59.7 ± 6.96 cm boys; 58.9 ± 6.77 cm girls). WC and WHtRin may add an information about the occurrence of central obesity in children.
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