Authors
Keely Henniger, Nutrition and Dietetics Department, University North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Kelly Pritchett, Health Sciences Department, Nutrition, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, USA
Jennifer Cole, Health Sciences Department, Nutrition, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, USA
Namrita Brooke, Nutrition and Dietetics Department, University North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Robert Pritchett, Health Sciences Department, Nutrition, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, USA
International Journal of Exercise Science 19(2): 2022, 2026.
DOI: 10.70252/IJES2026222
Abstract
Under-fueling, disordered eating (DE), weight dissatisfaction (WD) and exercise dependence (EXD) may increase the risk of low energy availability (LEA) in cyclists. This study examined the prevalence of risk for LEA and its association with risk of DE, EXD, weight dissatisfaction and self-reported fueling habits during training and racing in female cyclists. Competitive and recreational female cyclists between the age of 18-40 (n = 153) completed a 45-question Qualtrics survey that included self-reported training and racing characteristics, questions regarding carbohydrate intake during training and competition, the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q), the Disordered Eating Screen for Athletes (DESA-6), and the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-21). Among the cyclists, 47.7% (n = 73) were at risk for LEA and 75.8% (n=116) reported weight dissatisfaction. Cyclist category (recreational or competitive) was not associated with risk of LEA (χ²(1) = 0.7, p = 0.09). Cyclists at risk for LEA were more likely to be at risk for DE (χ²(1) 22.5, p < 0.001, φ = 0.38) and more likely to be at risk for EXD (χ²(2) 6.58, p = 0.04, Cramer’s V= 0.21) Furthermore, cyclists at risk for LEA were more likely to be moderately and severely dissatisfied with their weight (χ²(3) 13.1, p = 0.004, Cramér’s V = 0.30). However, there was no association between risk for LEA and meeting fueling recommendations during training or racing sessions of any duration. Nearly half the surveyed population of female cyclists were at risk for both LEA and DE behaviors. Furthermore, meeting fueling recommendations during training and races does not appear to mitigate the risk for LEA, highlighting the need for routine screening for LEA in female cyclists, even among those who appear to meet fueling recommendations during training and racing.
Recommended Citation
Henniger, Keely; Pritchett, Kelly; Cole, Jennifer; Brooke, Namrita; Pritchett, Robert (2026) “Self-reported Fueling During Training and Racing is not Associated with Low Energy Availability, Disordered Eating, or Exercise Dependence in Female Cyclists,” International Journal of Exercise Science, 19(2):2022.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70252/IJES2026222