(45) EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOW ENERGY AVAILABILITY, BODY COMPOSITION, AND RESTING METABOLIC RATE IN RECREATIONAL WOMEN ATHLETES

Purpose: Low energy availability (LEA) can occur when an individual does not consume enough calories to keep up with their physical activity demand. LEA has been shown to negatively impact fat free mass. Recreationally active individuals have been reported to suffer from LEA and may not realize due to a lack of resources and education. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to explore the relationship between resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body fat percentage (BF%), fat free mass (FFM), and fat free mass index (FFMI), and LEAF-Q score in recreational female athletes. Methods: 28 Women (age: 22.04 ± 3.384 years; height: 165.329 ± 8.3016, body mass: 67.025 ± 14.7503) participated in this cross-sectional study. Height was collected via a stadiometer to the nearest 0.1 cm. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used for body composition assessment. BF% and FFM were recorded. FFMI was then calculated as kilograms of FFM over height in m2. Following the completion of the BIA, the participants were instructed to sit for 25 minutes while also completing the LEAF-Q. After 25 minutes passed, the participants were instructed lay flat on a padded table for a RMR assessment using a metabolic cart. The RMR data was collected on the participants for 30 minutes, using the first 10 minutes as familiarization and the last 20 for analysis. bivariate correlations were run to evaluate the relationships between the following variables: LEAF-Q, RMR (kcals), BF%, FFM (kg) and FFMI (kg/m2). The following criteria were used for interpreting correlation coefficients: weak, 0.20–0.39; moderate, 0.40–0.59; strong, 0.60–0.79; and very strong, >0.80. Significance was set to p< 0.05.Results: Table one shows participant characteristics. LEAF-Q score had a significant weak negative correlation (r=-0.376, p=0.049) with FFM. Additionally, RMR had a significant moderate positive correlation (r=0.465, p=0.013) with BF%, FFM (r=0.539, p=0.003), and FFMI (r=0.445, p=0.018). No significant correlations existed between LEAF-Q and BF%, FFMI, and RMR. Conclusions: LEAF-Q score had a significant negative relationship with FFM, indicating that a higher LEAF-Q score may lead to a lower FFM. RMR had positive relationships with BF%, FFM, and FFMI. The relationship between BF% and RMR may be due to total body mass as this is not consistent with prior research. Practical Applications: It is recommended coaches working with recreational athletes educate them on LEA and its consequences as it may lead to lower FFM and potentially lower RMR. Acknowledgements: none.