PURPOSE This study aimed to develop a Korean version of the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) by translating the original English version into Korean using cross-cultural translation guidelines and conducting a face validity assessment. METHODS Following structured cross-cultural translation guidelines, a provisional final version (Pre-K-LEAF-Q) was created through initial translation, synthesis of initial translations, back translation, synthesis of back translations, and expert committee review. Additionally, its face validity was tested with 30 female participants. RESULTS After completing the translation process, the expert committee comprehensively compared each translation to finalize the Pre-K-LEAF-Q. This version was crafted to ensure semantic, idiomatic, experiential, and conceptual equivalence. Among the 30 females who participated, three noted that certain phrases were unclear or awkwardly expressed. The expert committee reviewed these five comments from the face validity test and modified three of the phrases. CONCLUSIONS The K-LEAF-Q was developed through cross-cultural translation and face validity testing to suit the cultural and linguistic context of Korea. It is expected to be a valuable tool for Korean female athletes.
PURPOSE The purpose of this review was to summarize the current knowledge on the trends in athletes’ health problems (and their preventive strategies) caused by low energy availability (LEA) and relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S). METHODS In this narrative review, we summarized previous studies by searching the literature in the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases. RESULTS Energy availability (EA) refers to the amount of energy from caloric intake used for exercise, and a LEA is considered as a surrogate marker of RED-S. In several previous studies, chronic low energy availability in female athletes has been reported to cause health problems such as endocrine dysfunctions, immunosuppression, and psychological disorders, and to also affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPC) axis and bone health. Moreover, it has been suggested that an increase in injury risk and a decrease in exercise performance may occur. CONCLUSIONS Since it can be difficult to recover from the health deteriorations caused by RED-S, early detection (of related signs and symptoms) and prevention are very important. Therefore, athletes, coaches, and parents need to develop educational programs that ease the recognition of the problems caused by various symptoms related to RED-S and promote educational interventions.
