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

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

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.

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.

This outcome measure will use the Symptom Checklist-10 (SCL-10) to assess the frequency and severity of common mental distress symptoms. The SCL-10 is a validated, abbreviated version of the SCL family of instruments (e.g., SCL-25, SCL-90) that covers core areas such as anxiety, depression, and somatic complaints. It provides an overall indication of the level of psychological distress and can be used for both screening and monitoring changes over time.

The AUDIT-C assesses alcohol consumption, drinking behaviors, and alcohol-related issues (Babor et al., 2001). The Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) will be included. The DUDIT assesses symptoms of substance abuse, as well as harmful use, and drug dependence.

This outcome measure will use the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) to evaluate individuals' overall assessments of their own life satisfaction. The SWLS is a validated, brief questionnaire comprising five statements that respondents rate based on their level of agreement. It captures the cognitive judgment of one's life quality, providing a reliable indicator of subjective well-being and overall life satisfaction.

This outcome measure will utilize the PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function-Short Form 6a to assess individuals' self-reported cognitive abilities. The PROMIS Cognitive Function-Short Form 6a is a validated, brief questionnaire designed to evaluate various aspects of cognitive performance, including memory, concentration, and mental clarity

The Body appreciation scale-2 (BAS-2) is a 10-item measure of an individual's acceptance, opinions and respect of their own body, The questionnaire is validated. Body satisfaction will be measured with the inclusion of the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI). The MDDI is a 13-item self-report measure which have three sub-scales assessing clinical features associated with muscle dysmorphia (MD), including drive for size, functional impairment, and appearance intolerance

To assess harassment, maltreatment and abuse a modified version of the questionnaire developed by Sølvberg et al (2022) will be included. This version will include questions regarding the participants experiences with harassment in their active career, and will include questions on physical, psychological, sexual (contact and non-contact), and neglecting harassment and/or abuse.

Reference:

Sølvberg N, Torstveit MK, Rosenvinge JH, Pettersen G, Sundgot-Borgen J. Sexual Harassment and Abuse among Young Elite Athletes, Recreational Athletes, and Reference Students: A Prospective Study. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2022 Nov 1;54(11):1869-1878. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002972. Epub 2022 Jun 24. PMID: 35763597; PMCID: PMC9584052.