It is also seen in sports such as swimming and running, where leanness is thought to help gain the competitive edge. While the triad is most common in women participating in these sports, it can affect any athlete. Determining the prevalence rate of the triad is difficult. Most of the data is equivocal. These studies use different definitions for amenorrhea and disordered eating which further skews results.
Evidence suggests that the syndrome is quite common.
While the prevalence rate of disordered eating among non-athletes is thought to be between 3 and 8 percent, disordered eating and amenorrhea are thought to affect anywhere for 15 to 62 percent of female athletes. The triad increases the incidence of osteopenia, bone injury, stress fractures, and scoliosis. There is also a marked increase in psychological stress with increased difficulty handling the stress of competition, which can lead to decreased physical performance. What many coaches and athletes don't seem to understand is that this quest for sharp reductions in body fat in the hopes of gaining the competitive edge has both long and short-term consequences for woman's health. She can fall into a pattern of restrictive eating that lead to believing that once normal portions of food are now too much.