Lightest weight-class athletes are at higher risk of weight regain: results from the French-Rapid Weight Loss Questionnaire

ABSTRACT

Context

Rapid weight loss (RWL) is a common precompetitive strategy used by athletes in weight-class sports and carries with it an increased risk to future cardiometabolic health. The Rapid Weight Loss Questionnaire (RWLQ) is a self-reported tool designed to identify and characterize such weight loss practices.

Objectives

After developing a reliable and reproducible French version of the RWLQ (RWLQ-FR), the present study aims to analyse RWL patterns among French weight-class athletes and to point out potential relationships between such practices and risk of subsequent weight gain.

Methods

A test-retest analysis was performed in 54 athletes to test the questionnaire reproducibility before applying it in a cohort of 168 weight-cycling athletes (23.78 ± 9.25 y, 67.6 ± 12.6 kg, 81 males and 87 females, n = 24 strength sports and n = 144 various combat sports).

Results

The test-retest showed good agreement of the RWLQ-FR (Rho = 0.794, [0.696–0.893]). Athletes reported losing an average of 4.1 ± 2.9% of their initial weight in 13.1 ± 9.6 days, with the main methods used being an increase in exercise, training in rubber or plastic suits, and gradual dieting. The average weight recovery in a week was 3.5 ± 2.8% and results showed that the athletes with the lower inter-season weight (weight outside of the training and competition season) regained the more weight (p = 0.025). The average RWLQ-FR score was 31.9 ± 17.3 and athletes who began to lose weight earlier in their competitive carrier had the higher scores (p = 0.032).

Conclusion

The present study demonstrates relationships between the pattern of RWL practices and potential increased risk of subsequent weight gain in weight-cycling athletes, and the need to better understand the long-term health-related risks.

KEYWORDS:

• Weight-category sports
• Body mass
• Cardiometabolic risk
• Self-reported tool

Acknowledgments

We thank the participants for their involvement in this research project. We are also grateful to Tremplin Cifre UCA.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

GE, DT, LI: Conceptualization; LP, GE, SB, TL: Data curation, Investigation; BP, MD: Formal analysis; GE, DT, JM-C, LI: Methodology, Project administration; LP: Writing; DT, SB, JM-C, LI: Review, Editing.