Weight control governs female athletes’ lives to a surprising degree

An extensive survey of female athletes in spring 2020 looked at issues related to menstruation, body image and nutrition.

The findings are startling. According to the survey results, about 40 percent of all respondents were trying to lose weight. About an equal percentage of athletes were concerned about their weight or body mass composition. In addition, 15 percent of the respondents described their own eating disorders.

Postdoctoral Researcher Johanna Ihalainen wants to make female athletes the focus of her research and investigate issues that are significant to female athletes in Finland. The menstrual cycle, hormones, nutrition and energy balance are issues that concern every female athlete. However, there is not much research into the effects of these on athletic performance.

Ihalainen and her research team developed a Norwegian survey she had been involved in earlier. Nearly 900 Finnish female athletes over the age of 15 answered the survey. The respondents included about 240 competitive exercisers or local-level athletes, 365 national level athletes, and 280 females pursuing sports on the international level.

The study highlighted the need for more knowledge among athletes as well as coaches.

Katja Mjøsund, a Doctor of Medicine and a specialist in sports and exercise medicine from the KIHU Research Institute for Olympic Sports and the Paavo Nurmi Centre of the University of Turku, has worked with athletes in Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Norway. She has experience with national team athletes in orienteering and rhythmic gymnastics, for example. What does a physician think about the female athletes’ responses about weight control?

“This is nothing new and it has always been part of certain sports,” Mjøsund says. “It is not right that a healthy athlete considers herself successful depending on what the scales say."

“If a person is losing weight all the time, it influences many bodily functions. In top sports, an energy deficit affects a range of things, from results development and recovery to risk of injury and risk of overload.” The athletes were also asked about the menstrual cycle and the effects of periods on sports. About 20% of the respondents lacked a regular menstrual cycle and about 4% of the respondents using no hormonal contraception had no menstruation at all. Similarly, an article by doctoral student Suvi Ravi in autumn 2020 shows that disorders in the menstrual cycle are more general among young athletes than among non-athletes.

Dr Mjøsund points out that menstrual flow itself is not important, but it does indicate that the underlying hormonal activity is functioning. If a woman’s energy supply is too low or her stress level is high, hormonal control becomes disturbed, and the periods disappear. These hormones are needed for the wellbeing of bones and muscles, for example.

In the future, Ihalainen is going to pursue more extensive multidisciplinary research on female athletes together with clinical experts and disseminate research knowledge to promote the athletes’ wellbeing. This also calls for a change in attitudes among athletes, coaches and others working with athletes.

MEMBERS OF THE RESEARCH TEAM:

• Doctoral Student Suvi Ravi (JYU) • Physician Maarit Valtonen (KIHU) • Physician Katja Mjøsund (KIHU/PNC) • Project Manager Johanna Lehto (KIHU) • Project Manager Ritva Taipale (JYU) • Physician Mira Tuovinen (KIHU) • Sports Psychologist Marja Kokkonen (JYU)

Johanna Ihalainen →

“Body mass composition and menstrual cycle affect female athletes’ physical and mental performance. The observations demonstrate that especially discussion between female athletes and male coaches about these topics is sensitive. It is important to develop solution models for the problem. Luckily, the studies at our faculty show that young athletes in sports clubs are less discontent with their weight than are adolescents outside sports, and the physical condition of women who have participated in competitive sports is better than that of others at midlife.”

Urho Kujala | PROFESSOR OF SPORTS AND EXERCISE MEDICINE