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DrCaseyCooper.com Recently, I have seen an increase in referrals concerning weight management and diet. It may come as a surprise to parents that food restriction and injuries are often related, and result from a combination of factors known as the Female Athlete Triad.
The Female Athlete Triad can cause both short and long-term problems to the developing body of a young athlete. It often begins with a desire to become as "fit" or lean as possible. Athletes sometimes believe that the less they weigh, the stronger, faster, or more powerful their performances will be. Unfortunately, the opposite is true when taken to extremes.
Given that athletes have a tendency to think in "All or Nothing" terms when training for elite performances, they become at risk for taking their dieting and efforts to "get healthy" too far. The results are a decrease in performance and an increase in depression and anxiety. When has it gone too far? Take a look at the set of conditions known as the Female Athlete Triad: