Clinical trial NCT04559542: Body Weight Regulation, Disordered Eating Behaviour, and Experiences of Sexual Harassment in Female Martial Art Athletes
Official title: Management of Body Weight Regulation, Symptoms of Low Energy Availability, Body Acceptance, Eating Disorders, and Sexual Harassment Among Female Martial Art Athletes, and Impact of COVID-19 on Training and Sport Participation
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Body Weight Changes
Eating Disorder Symptom
Sexual Harassment
Covid19
RED S
Keywords: Mental health
Eating disorders
female athletes
physical health
Body dissatisfaction
Body acceptance
body weight
Lead sponsor: Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Ostfold University College
name: University of Oslo
First posted: 2020-09-23
Enrollment: 33
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 16
Maximum age (years): 40
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL
Sampling method: PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Female martial art athletes within sports of boxsing, thaiboxing, kickboxsing, judo, jui jitsu, brasilian jui jitsu, submission wrestling, mixed martial arts, taekwondo og karate.

Brief summary: Athletes in martial arts compete in categories separated by body weight, hence, many athletes need to adjust their habitual body weight during periods with competition preparation. Athletes competing in weight sensitive sports are previously identified with an increased risk for symptoms of low energy availability and of disordered eating. The methods used for body weight regulation are varied, and athletes without professional competent support, are prone to rely on harmful methods. And of importance, female athletes respond more negatively to attempts of body weight reduction with regards to health effects.

Athletes of martial art are not surrounded by the same professional competence seen in other organized sports within the international sport federations, and specifically health competence is lacking. Additionally, numbers of females competing in martial art have increased the last decade, but they still practice in a sport culture dominated by males; both with reference to the high number of male participants, and with reference to the coaches within this sport. Sports involving practice in intimate, physical interaction with coaches or opposing athletes, and in sports where clothing is minimal, may be a high risk of experiences of sexual harassment. There have been a few reports on harmful methods of body weight regulation within martial arts, however, little knowledge exists on the practice by female martial art athletes, and the related health effects. Information on experiences of sexual harassment have been sparse in sport generally, with very little knowledge from sports like martial arts specifically. This study aims to explore the practice of female martial art athletes on body weight regulation, recovery strategies, their body acceptance and symptoms of eating disorders, and any experiences of sexual harassment. Additionally, with regards to the recent onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, this study also explores the related experiences by the athletes on training- and eating routines.

Detailed description: Low energy availability is a situation triggered by a low energy intake relatively to the total energy needs. It may typically occur when energy expenditure is increased by sporting activities concurrently to an unconscious or voluntarily insufficient increase in energy intake. This may cause a condition called Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-s), indicating a high risk for several negative health effects and performance deterioration. Athletes competing in body weight sensitive sports or sports categorized by body weight, have been identified with higher prevalence of RED-s, and specifically young females. Although it is the total difference between energy needs and energy availability that causes such scenario, the methods used to regulate body weight do also matter. Athletes without proper guidance on nutritional needs, recovery strategies, and optimal body weight regulation have previously reported use of harmful dieting methods, like purging methods, dehydration methods, and use of pharmaceuticals. Thus, young females competing in weight sensitive sport, not receiving any professional health and performance coaching are at specific risk for acutely and longterm negative health effects from chronic or repeated cycles of body weight reduction.

In a rapidly expanding martial arts industry in the US, there have been several reports on sexual assault. Still, no systematic and first-hand documentation on this issue has been completed. In Norway the same increase in popularity of material arts are noticed, an interest also seen among females. With regards to the limited knowledge on exercise practice, eating routines and health symptoms in female material art athletes, this study aims to expand this. By relying on a cross sectional cohort design with systematic registration of outcomes, this study also aim to expand on current limited knowledge on experiences of sexual harassment among females in material arts.

All females aged 16-35 practicing material arts in Oslo (Norway) at the time of recruitment (september-december 2020) will be invited (estimated to be between 200-300 athletes). All participants will receive information on the aim of this study, and must sign informed consent before participation. All data will be measured once per athlete.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* martial art athlete
* living and training in Oslo-area (main capital) in Norway

Exclusion Criteria:

* not matching sex, age or sport criteria

Primary outcomes:
measure: Low energy availability for females questionnaire (LEAF-Q)
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Eating disorder examination questionnaire (EDE-q)
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Body Weight regulation strategies, selfreported
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Body appreciation scale (BAS-2)
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Exercise frequency, selfreported according to a designed questionnaire
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Exercise duration, selfreported according to a designed questionnaire
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Exercise motivation, selfreported according to a designed questionnaire
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Exercise program variation, selfreported according to a designed questionnaire
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Physical activity level, objectively measured
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Four day weighed diet registration; energyintake
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Four day weighed diet registration; nutrient intake
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Experiences of sexual harassment
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
measure: Effects from Covid-19 pandemic on exercise- and eating routines, designed questionnaire
timeFrame: Autumn 2020
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Oslo
country: Norway
facility: Norwegian school of sport sciences
Study officials:
affiliation: Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
name: Jorunn Sundgot-Borgen, PhD
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References: