Relationship Between Body Composition, Eating Behaviors, and Energy Availability in Indian Female Athletes

This study aims to understand the relationship between body composition, eating behaviours, and energy availability in Indian female athletes. Female athletes are at a higher risk of nutrition-related health problems due to intense training demands and pressure to maintain a certain body shape. Many athletes may develop unhealthy eating behaviours, such as restrictive dieting or skipping meals, which can lead to low energy availability when their food intake does not meet their training needs. Body composition, which includes fat mass, muscle mass, and bone mass, plays an important role in both health and sports performance, but excessive focus on leanness can negatively affect eating habits and energy levels.

A cross-sectional study will be conducted on 225 female athletes aged 15–30 years, selected through convenient sampling, who have been training in their sport for more than two years. Athletes from both lean and non-lean sports will be included. Those who are pregnant, using oral contraceptives, or currently injured will be excluded. After ethical approval, data collection will be carried out over 5–6 months, with a total study duration of 6 months. Eligible participants will complete questionnaires assessing eating behaviours and energy availability, and their body composition will be measured using a body impedance analyser. The LEAF-Q and EAT-26 questionnaires will be used for assessment. Data will be analysed using SPSS software, and correlation tests will be applied to determine whether a relationship exists between body composition, eating behaviours, and energy availability in Indian female athletes.