The Weight of Victory: Exploring Short- and Long-term Health Outcomes in Former Male & Female Elite Athletes from Weight-sensitive Sports

NCT06801210 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 841008
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 1,500
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The health of former elite athletes has been identified as a critical research gap where there is limited knowledge about both short- and long-term consequences after ending their careers. The transition phase from an active elite career to everyday life has been shown to be particularly problematic, yet this issue has been little studied among former Norwegian elite athletes. Furthermore, questions remain regarding the health of athletes from weight-sensitive sports, such as weight-class, aesthetic, and certain endurance sports. These athletes face specific challenges related to maintaining a certain physique and frequent changes in body weight during their active careers. This group has been shown to be vulnerable to a range of problematic health outcomes related to low energy availability, and little is known about the long-term effects of a career involving this. Therefore, the overall purpose of the project is to map the mental and physical health of former elite athletes. At the same time, there will be a particular focus on the differences between weight-sensitive and less weight-sensitive sports, different types of sports, gender, as well as previous dieting and eating behaviors.

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Health; Fertility; Mental Health; Quality of Life; Body Image; Disordered Eating

Keywords

Elite athletes; Mental health; Somatic health; Disordered eating; Musculoskeletal health; Quality of life; Anxiety and depression; Behavioral; Reproductive health; Fertility; Harassment; Body acceptance; Personality traits; Weight regulation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Symptoms of eating disorders (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, EDE-Q)

  This outcome measure will use the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) to assess the frequency and severity of eating disorder symptoms. The EDE-Q is a validated self-report questionnaire covering dietary restraint, eating concern, shape concern, and weight concern

  January 2025 to June 2025

• Pain, function, and overall well-being connected to musculoskeletal status (Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire, MSK-HQ)

  This outcome measure will use the Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ) to assess self-reported musculoskeletal health. The MSK-HQ is a validated instrument covering key domains such as pain, function, and overall well-being in individuals with musculoskeletal conditions. It provides a comprehensive overview of the patient's musculoskeletal status, including symptoms and the impact on daily activities.

  From January 2025 to June 2025

• Menstrual function and history & fertility function and history (The Low Energy Availability in Males Questionnaire, LEAM-Q, Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire, LEAF-Q, and The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study, MoBa)

  Items from The validated Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) will be included to assess menstrual function (Melin et al., 2014). Items from The Low Energy Availability in Males Questionnaire (LEAM-Q) (Lundy et al., 2022) will be included for assessing reproductive health among the male participants. In addition, questions from The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) will be included to cover fertility status.

  From January 2025 to June 2025

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Symptoms of Psychological Distress (Symptom Checklist-10, SCL-10)

  From January 2025 to June 2025

• Alchohol and drug use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption, AUDIT-C and Drug Use Disorders Identification Test, DUDIT)

  From January 2025 to June 2025

• Satisfaction With Life (Satisfaction With Life Scale, SWLS)

  From January 2025 to June 2025

• Cognitive Function (PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function-Short Form 6a)

  From January 2025 to June 2025

• Body Appreciation and Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms (Body Appreciation Scale-2, BAS-2, and the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory, MDDI)

  From January 2025 to June 2025

Other Outcomes (1)

• Experiences of harassment, maltreatment, and abuse.

  From January 2025 to June 2025

Study Arms (3)

Former elite athletes from weight-sensitive sports

Former elite athletes from weight-sensitive sports. Including former elite athletes from weight-class, gravitational, aesthetic, and certain endurance type of sports.

Former elite athletes from less weight-sensitive sports

Former elite athletes from less weight-sensitive sports. Including team sports (e.g. handball, soccer, basketball)

General population

An age matched reference group for the groups of former elite athletes. Includes a sample from the general population without a background as an elite athlete.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Former male and female Norwegian elite athletes and a age matched controls from the general population

You may qualify if:

• Represented the national team at senior and/or junior level, (Non-organized sports) competed at national and/or international level. , \>1 year since retirement , \>18 years old,and a proficient level of Norwegian reading and writing skills

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Norwegian School of Sport Sciences: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being; Anxiety Disorders; Depression; Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Mental Disorders; Behavioral Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Anders Aksel Me

CONTACT

+4791568819; andersame@nih.no

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 16, 2025
• First Posted: January 30, 2025
• Study Start: January 30, 2025
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2025
• Study Completion: June 30, 2025
• Last Updated: January 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-01