Interventions éducatives pour la prévention des deficits énergétiques relatifs dans le sport (REDs) : une revue exploratoire

(Educational interventions for REDs in athletes: A scoping review)

Background and objectives Athletes, coaches, and support staff generally lack adequate knowledge of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) and its causes, and one way to address this is through the use of educational interventions (EI). This scoping review aimed to summarise existing literature and identify research gaps concerning EI's for REDs and its physiological effects on athletes. Methods This review followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Articles were sourced using keywords such as "REDs", "female athlete triad", "low energy availability" and "educational interventions". Two independent screeners conducted the screening in Covidence for title, abstract, and full-text screening. Data were extracted from the included articles using a standardised template. Results The search yielded 3856 articles, of which 33 met the eligibility criteria. Most studies were conducted in the United States of America (52%), with remaining studies in Europe and Asia. Most participants were female (61%), aged 18-25 years. Common educational topics included dietary importance (n = 30) and energy availability (n = 19), with lectures (n = 19), peer-led discussions (n = 13), and healthcare counselling (n = 12) as primary delivery methods. The EIs varied from once-off to 4-year interventions, most commonly between 2-4 months (n = 21; 64%). The most prevalent delivery timing was weekly (n = 19; 58%). Conclusions Research on EIs in athletes concerning REDs and energy availability has grown, but many regions, including Africa, remain understudied. Most studies have investigated EI in female athletes, indicating a gap in understanding EIs for male athletes. Future research should assess the effectiveness of these interventions and explore areas of improvement in content and delivery.
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Bibliographic Details
Subjects:
Notations:biological and medical sciences
Tagging:RED-S Intervention
Published in:Science & Sports
Language:English
Published: 2026
Volume:41
Issue:3
Pages:218-229
Document types:article
Level:advanced