Nutrition: A Thin Line - adverse effects of being underweight

Women need good nutrition to be good athletes. After all, you can't perform well when hindered by poor eating habits.

Good nutrition is important for everyone-especially active women. And the time has come for women to stop judging and begin appreciating their bodies in order to raise a new generation of women who can focus on becoming healthy rather than losing weight at any cost.

Children learn their mothers' eating habits and food choices. Studies help explain why most children don't consume enough calcium-rich milk. A substantial calcium intake during developmental years can yield increased bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Unfortunately, too many women consider milk fattening. However, research suggests milk drinkers are not fatter than non-milk drinkers. In addition, active women can allot at least 100 calories per meal on a calcium-rich food. Therefore, women need to consider milk a fundamental dietetic requirement.

Dieting seems to be the norm for many American women. About 70% of women report being on a diet. A 1998 survey of 187 mothers (average age: 35 years old) and daughters (average age: 5 years old) by Penn State University suggests 62% of mothers use unhealthy dieting practices. The mothers' weight concerns and self-esteem issues were passed on to their daughters. If a mother was discontent with her body and had low self-esteem, the daughters were likely to feel the same about themselves.

A survey of 425 female athletes from seven universities suggests weight is an issue for most active women. On average, these women reported weighing five to seven pounds more than they desired. Weight was of equal concern to women in aesthetic sports (such as gymnastics), endurance sports (such as running) and team sports (such as soccer).

If you are struggling with weight, remember the thinnest athlete is not always the best. I commonly counsel women who undereat and are chronically tired. They think being thin will help them become better athletes. The truth is, a healthy diet provides the energy needed to achieve athletic success.

Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia affected about three to five percent of all the female athletes surveyed, but 79% of women in aesthetic sports reported experiencing pressure to maintain a certain body weight. By comparison, 55% of endurance athletes and 36% of team athletes reported the same pressure to be thin. Some studies indicate sub-clinical eating disorders are prevalent among athletes struggling to achieve a perfect weight.

Iron deficiency anemia is a common problem among athletic women. Because iron helps carry oxygen to working muscles, lack of iron results in early fatigue. The best sources of iron are red meats, but iron skillets are a good alternative source-particularly when used to cook acidic foods such as applesauce.

The iron content of applesauce cooked in an iron pot is 22mg (0.5 cups) compared to only 0.2 mg when cooked in a glass pot. By comparison, the iron content of hamburger, a non-acidic food, slightly increased from about 2 mg to 2.5 mg (four ounces).

The iron slightly darkened the applesauce's color and altered its flavor. Nevertheless, if you want to boost your iron intake to the RDA (15mg), your cookware can be a good source.

Among female athletes, regular menstruation is a sign of good health. Hormones involved with menstruation enhance bone density. In a survey of 28 high school cross-country female runners by Central Michigan University, 59% failed to menstruate regularly. More than half had either a stress fracture or shin splints-two early signs of poor bone health. Among 44 collegiate runners, 52% did not menstruate or had irregular menstrual cycles. Their average calcium intake was only 300 milligrams-the equivalent of one glass (eight ounces) of milk per day, which is far below the recommended 1,200 to 1,500 mgs.

College students reported eating about 1,800 calories per day. Since a glass of lowfat milk contains about 100 calories, students can consume 300 to 400 calories in three to four servings of lowfat milk or yogurt. Women need good nutrition to be good athletes. After all, you can't perform well when hindered by poor eating habits.

Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., offers private nutrition consultations at SportsMedicine Brookline in the Boston area. Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook ($18) and NYC Marathon Cookbook and Nutrition Guide ($23) are available at your local bookstore or SportsMedicine Brookline, 830 Boylston St., Brookline, MA 02167, (617) 739-2003.

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COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group