Iron Status Modifies the Relationship Between Eating Attitudes and Performance in Female Collegiate Rowers

Abstract

Thirty percent of female athletes suffer from iron deficiency (ID), and one hypothesized cause is poor dietary intake. In the context of athletic culture, poor dietary intake may stem from disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. PURPOSE: The goal of this analysis was to examine the relationships between iron (Fe) status, self-reported eating attitudes and behaviors, and performance in female rowers. METHODS: Fe status (hemoglobin (Hgb), serum ferritin (sFer), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), total body iron (TBI)) of 91 rowers was assessed at the beginning of a training season; rowers were classified as normal (n=59) or ID (n=32 with sFer<20 μg/L or Hgb <12 g/dL). Eating attitudes and behaviors were assessed by the Female Athlete Screening Tool (FAST), and performance was assessed by rowers’ self-reported 2K Personal Record (PR) ergometer score, which was used to predict VO2max (ml/kg/min). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups of Fe status in any of the potential confounders of the association between Fe status and performance that were tested. Fe status, however, did modify the relationship between eating attitudes and behaviors (FAST score) and predicted VO2max. ID rowers with higher FAST scores displayed lower predicted VO2max than ID rowers with lower FAST scores (40.2±12.2 vs 45.6±5.7 ml/kg/min, p=0.038 for interaction). In rowers with normal Fe status, there was no impact of FAST score on predicted VO2max. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to screening the Fe status of female college athletes at the beginning of a season, disordered eating attitudes and behaviors also warrant examination. These attitudes and behaviors can be quickly assessed, and may be a contributing factor to poor Fe status, and thus suboptimal performance in female collegiate athletes. Supported by the Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, the American Dietetic Association Foundation (ADAF), and the N.S. Meinig Professorship, Cornell University.