Female College Athletes and Osteoporosis: Strategies for Prevention and Treatment

Abstract

For some female athletes, a risk exists for the development of one or more of the medical disorders that comprise the female athlete triad: the related conditions of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. These disorders may lead to significant morbidity and a high rate of mortality. The female college athlete, driven to excel in her sport and pressured to fit a thin athletic image, is at risk for the development of premature osteoporosis. College counselors and advisors can be instrumental in the prevention and treatment of these problems in female col­lege athletes.