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About this research project

TITLE OF PROJECT: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) in International and Canadian high performance athletes: Prevalence, health and performance implications

ETHICS APPLICATION NUMBER/INSTITUTE: H20-03602 


You are invited to participate in a study entitled: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) in International and Canadian high performance athletes: Prevalence, health and performance implications. This study is being conducted by Post-doctoral research fellow Dr. Ida Heikura from the University of Victoria, Canada. The supervisor and principal investigator (PI) for this research study is Dr. Trent Stellingwerff.  All athletes (male and female, recreational to elite, able-bodied or para-athletes), over the age of 15 are invited to participate in this survey.

The rate of RED-S risk factors ranges from 3 to 60% in the published literature (depending on the sport, type and level of athlete and diagnostic tool). Therefore, RED-S concerns high performance junior and senior athletes, where effects are seen beyond the degree of success at major championships, including the cost of health care and long-term consequences for athletes diagnosed with RED-S.

Therefore, part of our approach is to hopefully implement the largest global RED-S questionnaire (to date), to gather as much information as possible – your input and is imperative to this pursuit.  This questionnaire is a combination of various existing questionnaire (many validated), combined with several other novel questions, which will take ~30-40min of your time.  From this extensive questionnaire we hope to better inform: 

·  Our understanding of the prevalence and symptoms of RED-S in elite junior and senior athletes, para-athletes and recreational level athletes;
·  Utilize data to further develop screening tools and potential treatment protocols to manage RED-S;
·  Improve athlete health, availability and performance.

Your answers will be handled with confidentiality and you can answer the entire survey anonymously. However, once you have completed the survey, you will have the opportunity to provide your email address to directly access study results once they become available.
 
Research team:

Principal Investigator:  
Trent Stellingwerff, Ph.D., FACSM
Director of Performance Solutions, Innovation & Research 
Canadian Sport Institute Pacific (CSI Pacific) / University of Victoria (UVIC) / University of British Columbia

Co-Investigator:  
Ida Heikura, Ph.D.
Post-doctoral research fellow
UVIC / CSI Pacific

Collaborators:

Margo Mountjoy, MD PhD, CCFP (sem) FCFP FACSM Dip Sport Med, IOC Medical Commission-Games group, FINA Sports Medicine, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada

Paddy McCluskey, MD, Chief Medical Officer, CSI Pacific, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Kathryn Ackerman, MD, MPH, FACSM, Medical Director, Female Athlete Program, Division of Sports Medicine Boston Children's Hospital;  Associate Director, Sports Endocrine Research Lab, Neuroendocrine Unit Massachusetts General Hospital;  Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School; Team Physician, USA Rowing, USA

Louise Burke, OAM PhD APD, Chair of Sports Nutrition, Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Exercise and Nutrition Research Program, Australian Catholic University, Mel

To contact us, please email at: redsstudy@csipacific.ca
INFORMED CONSENT

I have read and understood the information provided in the Letter to Participants [click here to download the Information Letter to Participants].  Any questions I have asked have been answered to my satisfaction. I agree to participate in this online survey, realizing that I can withdraw my consent at any time (without adverse consequences).  I agree that research data collected for the study may be published or may be provided to other researchers in a form that does not identify me in any way.

By ticking the box below and completing this questionnaire I sign the informed consent and thus approve the study design and the anonymous use of my responses for the study purposes by the research team.

Question Title

* Signed informed consent

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