Girls who play sports or exercise may be at risk for Female Athlete Triad. Find out more about this condition here.
What Is Female Athlete Triad
Female athlete triad is a combination of three conditions caused by exercising and poor diet.How Do Girls Get Female Athlete Triad
Girls who are highly competitive athletes and participate in sports that require frequent training are at risk of getting female athlete triad. Girls with female athlete triad often care so much about their sports that they'll do almost anything to improve their performance. Some girls may even be told by coaches, [kwlink]parents [/kwlink] or teammates that losing weight would improve their scores or times. Focusing on weight or body appearance in sports such as gymnastics, diving, figure skating or martial arts, can put a girl at risk for disordered eating. Poor nutrition, combined with the intense exercise can lead to one or all of the three conditions that are part of female athlete triad.Female Athlete Triad - Prevention
Female athletes can prevent female athlete triad simply by following a healthy exercise and eating routine. Losing a few pounds usually won't improve an athlete's performance at all. If a girl loses weight when she doesn't need to, it interferes with healthy body functions such as menstruation and bone growth. If you're a female athlete who's exercising lots, make sure you don't skip any meals or snacks and are eating enough food to take you through periods of intense exercise. It's also a good idea to keep track of your periods on a calendar. If you start missing your periods, you'll know right away and can talk to your doctor. Most importantly, make sure you're exercising and playing sports the way YOU want to. If parents, coaches or anyone else is putting pressure on you to eat or exercise in a way that's not healthy, make a change.Related Stories: