Efficacy of the Female Athlete Body Project (FAB)
| Status: | Active, not recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Psychiatric, Eating Disorder |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | Any |
| Updated: | 4/17/2018 |
| Start Date: | November 2012 |
| End Date: | December 2018 |
Healthy Weight Intervention in Female Athletes: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Given the cost of treating eating disorders and the substantial morbidity and mortality
associated with these disorders, prevention of eating disorders has considerable public
health significance. Female athletes represent an important population for prevention due to
their risk for the Female Athlete Triad, which includes inadequate energy intake, irregular
or cessation of menses, and osteoporosis. The proposed randomized controlled trial will
provide important information regarding the efficacy, acceptability, and feasibility of
implementing a brief eating disorder prevention and healthy living program within an existing
social system of female athletes.
associated with these disorders, prevention of eating disorders has considerable public
health significance. Female athletes represent an important population for prevention due to
their risk for the Female Athlete Triad, which includes inadequate energy intake, irregular
or cessation of menses, and osteoporosis. The proposed randomized controlled trial will
provide important information regarding the efficacy, acceptability, and feasibility of
implementing a brief eating disorder prevention and healthy living program within an existing
social system of female athletes.
Research supports the use of a Healthy Weight (HW) program targeting small lifestyle
modifications in the prevention of ED onset and in reducing ED risk factors. Studies show
that HW can be tailored for specific social systems (e.g., sororities) which can facilitate
dissemination and that undergraduate peer-leaders can implement these programs. Interventions
that can be administered affordably by endogenous providers are more likely to be
disseminated, as indicated by the large scale dissemination of a peer-led ED prevention
program by a national sorority. Another target social system for dissemination of ED
prevention is collegiate athletics. Research suggests that disordered eating among female
athletes is prevalent, and that this group is at greater, or at least equal, risk for
developing EDs as non-athlete females. Disordered eating is especially dangerous in female
athletes because it increases risk for the Female Athlete Triad (i.e., low energy
availability/disordered eating, menstrual disorders, and decreased bone mineral
density/osteoporosis) and subsequent injury. Moreover, the triad puts athletes at risk for
serious long-term health consequences, such as osteoporosis, reproductive disorders, and
cardiovascular disease. Despite this, efforts aimed at prevention of EDs among this group
remain surprisingly limited. A pilot study with female athletes suggests that a modified
version of HW can be successfully implemented by peer-leaders within the constraints of a
competitive athletics program with positive effects at 12 month follow-up. The proposed study
is a randomized controlled trial of the HW intervention among female athletes. 500 female
collegiate athletes from three sites will be randomized to either the HW prevention program
or a brochure waitlist control condition using group (cluster) randomization based on teams.
Participants will complete surveys and telephone interviews at pretest, posttest, and at 6
and 12 month follow-ups. The investigators will examine; (1) the efficacy of HW in reducing
empirically supported ED risk factors relative to a waitlist brochure control condition at
one year, (2) whether HW impacts secondary outcomes, including knowledge and identification
of the female athlete triad, treatment seeking for the triad, affect, and health care
utilization, and (3) whether positive effects for HW replicate the effects from the pilot
study at one year and 18 months for the HW condition only.
modifications in the prevention of ED onset and in reducing ED risk factors. Studies show
that HW can be tailored for specific social systems (e.g., sororities) which can facilitate
dissemination and that undergraduate peer-leaders can implement these programs. Interventions
that can be administered affordably by endogenous providers are more likely to be
disseminated, as indicated by the large scale dissemination of a peer-led ED prevention
program by a national sorority. Another target social system for dissemination of ED
prevention is collegiate athletics. Research suggests that disordered eating among female
athletes is prevalent, and that this group is at greater, or at least equal, risk for
developing EDs as non-athlete females. Disordered eating is especially dangerous in female
athletes because it increases risk for the Female Athlete Triad (i.e., low energy
availability/disordered eating, menstrual disorders, and decreased bone mineral
density/osteoporosis) and subsequent injury. Moreover, the triad puts athletes at risk for
serious long-term health consequences, such as osteoporosis, reproductive disorders, and
cardiovascular disease. Despite this, efforts aimed at prevention of EDs among this group
remain surprisingly limited. A pilot study with female athletes suggests that a modified
version of HW can be successfully implemented by peer-leaders within the constraints of a
competitive athletics program with positive effects at 12 month follow-up. The proposed study
is a randomized controlled trial of the HW intervention among female athletes. 500 female
collegiate athletes from three sites will be randomized to either the HW prevention program
or a brochure waitlist control condition using group (cluster) randomization based on teams.
Participants will complete surveys and telephone interviews at pretest, posttest, and at 6
and 12 month follow-ups. The investigators will examine; (1) the efficacy of HW in reducing
empirically supported ED risk factors relative to a waitlist brochure control condition at
one year, (2) whether HW impacts secondary outcomes, including knowledge and identification
of the female athlete triad, treatment seeking for the triad, affect, and health care
utilization, and (3) whether positive effects for HW replicate the effects from the pilot
study at one year and 18 months for the HW condition only.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Female
- Member of a University-sponsored athletic team,
- Are willing and able to provide informed consent, attend all study visits, and comply
with the study protocol
Exclusion Criteria:
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