Sports Medicine - Open最新文献

{"title":"Response to \"Comment on 'Associations of Physical Fitness During Childhood with Arterial Structure and Stiffness in Adolescence: An 8-Year Follow-up Study'\".","authors":"Emilia Laitinen, Eero A Haapala","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01073-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01073-2","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13424018/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148631559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comment on \"Associations of Physical Fitness During Childhood with Arterial Structure and Stiffness in Adolescence: An 8-Year Follow-Up Study\".","authors":"Kate M Sansum, Leigh Gabel, Kurt J Smith, Ali M McManus","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01074-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01074-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13421722/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148621322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Esports Participation and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.","authors":"Di Tang, Jinde Liu, Pengpeng Gou, Xin Zhang, Chang Liu, Ruisi Ma, Jie Feng, Sara Xiao, Thomas Yuen Tung Lam","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01083-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01083-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>With the growth of the esports industry, concerns about participants' health risks have drawn public and academic attention. However, existing research remains inconsistent and often fails to distinguish esports from general video gaming. This study evaluates health differences between esports participants and non-participants and explores correlations between participation and health outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic search of seven databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, Esports Research Network, and ProQuest) was conducted up to May 13, 2026. Data were synthesized using mean differences (MD) or standardized mean differences (SMD) for group comparisons, and Fisher's Z-transformed correlation coefficients (r) for relationships between esports participation and health outcomes. Subgroup analyses based on professional and non-professional status were also conducted.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 5090 identified studies, 53 (n = 86,652) were included, with 36 analyzed in meta-analyses. Initial analyses showed no significant differences between esports participants and non-participants across physical activity, body mass index (BMI) sleep duration, anxiety, depression, stress, and grip strength. However, following sensitivity analysis, esports participants exhibited significantly lower depression levels (SMD -0.13, 95% CI -0.17 to -0.10). Conversely, non-professional esports players demonstrated a significantly higher body fat percentage than non-players (MD 4.57, 95% CI 1.73 to 7.41). Additionally, esports participation was significantly correlated with sedentary behavior (r = 0.17, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.23), BMI (r = 0.09, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.13), and gaming disorder (r = 0.10, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.15).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although current evidence suggests that esports participants do not generally display worse overall health than non-participants, the association between esports participation and health is multifaceted and requires a nuanced perspective. Furthermore, given the existing heterogeneity and the cross-sectional design of the included studies, alongside a moderate risk of bias, these findings warrant careful interpretation. Future research must prioritize standardized definitions, consistent reporting, objective measures, and longitudinal designs to further validate these associations and investigate causal relationships. Concurrently, the industry should develop stratified, evidence-based guidelines to safeguard the long-term well-being of different types of players. Registration CRD42024622812 (PROSPERO).</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13421603/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148621317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Delaying Early Morning Training Time in Swimmers: Effects on Sleep, Recovery and Performance-A Randomized Controlled Trial.","authors":"Maxime M E Brandts, Sabrina Forster, Anne Hecksteden, Tim Meyer","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01086-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01086-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Swimmers often fail to achieve recommended sleep durations. Early morning training, common in swimming, is associated with shorter sleep. Sleep extension through later wake-up times appears to be an appropriate measure to counteract this. Therefore, this study investigated whether delaying early morning training has an effect on sleep, recovery and performance, and whether changes in sleep mediate eventual effects on recovery and performance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using cross-over design, 27 national-level swimmers (13 females, 14 males; age: 15.6 ± 1.0 years) completed two 8-day training camps in January and October 2023 in Saarbrücken, Germany. Morning sessions started at 07:00 AM (early) or 09:00 AM (late), with conditions randomized between camps. Sleep and recovery were assessed using actigraphy, sleep diaries, and the Short Recovery and Stress Scale. Performance was evaluated using 100 m main stroke and 800 m freestyle time-trials pre- and post-camp. Linear mixed-effects models and repeated measures analysis of variance were employed to assess the effect of training time on sleep, recovery and performance. Regression-based mediation analysis tested whether changes in sleep and recovery mediated the effects of training timepoint on recovery and performance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sleep duration per night was significantly longer in the late compared to the early condition (1.0 ± 0.5 h; t = 14.0, p < .001). However, there was no significant effect on measures of recovery (p > .080), and 100 m and 800 m performance (p > .204). Mediation analysis showed no indirect effects of sleep duration on mental capacity or of mental capacity on performance (p > .05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Delaying early morning training from 07:00 AM to 09:00 AM increased sleep duration by one hour on average, but this did not significantly affect recovery or performance in elite swimmers. Nevertheless, the study provides evidence that early morning training is associated with reduced sleep duration and highlights the persistent sleep challenges faced by adolescent swimmers. Trial registration DRKS, DRKS00039267. Registered 17 February 2026-Retrospectively registered, https://www.drks.de/DRKS00039267 .</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13415721/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148607567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Time Since Baseline Data Collection, Mechanism of Injury, and Service Academy Sub-population on Concussion Risk Prediction in Military Service Academy Cadets and Midshipmen: An Observational Study.","authors":"Yili Wang, Kenneth L Cameron, Michael A McCrea, Thomas McAllister, Steven Broglio, Mariel Lavieri, James T Eckner","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01075-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01075-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Concussion is a common but serious health concern among athlete and military populations. To improve understanding of concussion, the NCAA and U.S. Department of Defense established the Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium, which collected comprehensive baseline assessment data from collegiate athletes and military service academy members. In this study, we used baseline assessments collected in service academy cadets and midshipmen to estimate the likelihood of concussion in the following academic year. Using eXtreme Gradient Boosting, we determined how the predictive accuracy of baseline assessments changes over the first year after testing and compared concussion risk prediction across two sub-populations (varsity/club sport athletes and intramural cadets) and two injury mechanisms (concussions occurring during military training/physical education classes versus sports-related concussions). Exploratory analyses also identified and ranked the most influential variables contributing to risk prediction, offering insights that could guide future risk assessment and prevention efforts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analytic dataset included 16,642 participants from four U.S. military academies between the 2015-2016 and 2019-2020 academic years after data preprocessing. We used eXtreme Gradient Boosting to predict concussion risk using baseline variables collected within the same academic year. Prediction accuracy decreased as time passed since the baseline assessment both in the overall model and within each sub-population and injury mechanism model, with the overall prediction dropping from 0.68 to less than 0.64. Concussion predictions were more accurate for intramural cadets and for injuries sustained during military training or physical education, compared to varsity/club sport athletes and sports-related concussions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Given the significant time and resource investment required to conduct baseline concussion testing, baseline assessments being used to predict concussion risk should be performed as close to time periods of greatest risk as possible. Future research is needed to develop streamlined population- and injury mechanism-specific predictive models using a smaller set of key baseline measures to facilitate more frequent baseline testing to optimize risk prediction.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13396043/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148580061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distinct Movement-Related Cortical Control Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Robbe Capelleman, Emile Cloet, Dries Pieters, Jos Vanrenterghem, Evi Wezenbeek, Erik Witvrouw, Tim Lehmann","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01071-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01071-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Distinct brain activity in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) patients has been reported, yet comprehensive evidence on neural differences during movement and the potential impact on motor performance remains limited.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This review aimed to synthesize evidence on cortical activity during motor tasks in ACL patients compared to healthy controls and explored the potential impact on motor performance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodological guidance for scoping reviews and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews. Eligible literature was searched in PubMed, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science from inception to December 31, 2025, and included primary research assessing brain activity during voluntary motor tasks in ACL patients compared to controls.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 233 identified records, 25 were included, with 15 utilizing electroencephalography, 8 functional magnetic resonance imaging, and 2 functional near-infrared spectroscopy assessing a total of 416 ACL patients on study level. 21 studies reported significant between-group differences in brain activity, demonstrating increased activity in frontal and visual processing regions but inconsistent findings for motor and parietal cortices. Additionally, 14 records described behavioral data alongside neuroimaging results, of which 10 found no significant differences and 4 reported impaired motor performance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Distinct patterns of brain activity were demonstrated in ACL patients compared to healthy controls, predominantly depicting increased recruitment of neural resources within the cognitive and visual network. Despite some evidence reporting associated impaired motor performance, the relationship between cortical alterations and motor performance remains hypothetical. Future research should incorporate paradigms including visual and cognitive dual-tasks to explore the relationship between brain activity and behavioral outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13388612/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148536635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contralateral Balance Training Improves Postural Control and Functional Recovery After Arthroscopic Anterior Talofibular Ligament Repair: A Prospective, Randomized, Single-Blind Trial.","authors":"Yanmin Zhao, Long Pang, Yanlei Ge, Wenxi Li, Qian Deng, Zhipeng Zhou, Qi Li","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01078-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01078-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chronic ankle instability (CAI) affects approximately 40% of patients within 1 year after a first-time acute lateral ankle sprain. While arthroscopic anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) repair is preferred when conservative treatment fails, early postoperative balance training is limited by weight-bearing restrictions. Cross-education, which transfers training benefits from one limb to the contralateral untrained limb, has demonstrated efficacy in improving postural control under conservative care; however, its postoperative utility remains poorly understood. This study investigates whether integrating contralateral balance training into standard rehabilitation enhances functional recovery after ATFL repair.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was conducted at the Sports Medicine Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) between November 2024 and November 2025. Fifty-eight participants with unilateral CAI undergoing arthroscopic ATFL repair were randomized to an assisted rehabilitation group (ARG, n = 29) or conventional rehabilitation group (CRG, n = 29). Both groups received 6-week standard rehabilitation. The ARG additionally performed progressive contralateral limb balance training three times per week for 6 weeks. Primary and secondary outcomes included static balance (sway velocity), dynamic postural control (Star Excursion Balance Test [SEBT]), sensory integration (Sensory Organization Test [SOT]), and patient-reported outcomes (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society [AOFAS] Ankle-Hindfoot Scale, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure-Activities of Daily Living [FAAM-ADL] subscale, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure-Sports [FAAM-Sport] subscale, and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia [TSK]).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Post-intervention, the ARG demonstrated significantly lower eyes-closed sway velocity (P = 0.016) and greater SEBT reach distances in anterior (P = 0.005) and posterolateral (P = 0.018) directions than the CRG. The ARG also achieved superior equilibrium scores during sensory conflict (SOT-3: P < 0.001; SOT-4: P = 0.023). Furthermore, the ARG reported significantly better functional scores than the CRG, including AOFAS and FAAM-ADL, while FAAM-Sport showed relative preservation compared with a significant decline in the CRG.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Compared with conventional rehabilitation alone, supplemental contralateral balance training resulted in statistically superior postural control under eyes-closed conditions and in selected dynamic balance directions. Improvements in sensory integration (SOT3, SOT4) were statistically significant but did not reach the respective condition-specific MCIDs. This approach appears safe and feasible during early-stage rehabilitation, with the primary effect being attenuation of early postoperative decline.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13380605/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148497934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal Robustness of Mental Fatigue Susceptibility: A One-Year Follow-up Study.","authors":"Jelle Habay, Y Laurisa Arenales Arauz, Chao Bian, Kevin De Pauw, Nathalie Pattyn, Bart Roelands, Jeroen Van Cutsem","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01062-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01062-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Prior research has shown that mental fatigue, induced by prolonged cognitive loads, negatively impacts subjective and behavioral variables. A currently unanswered question is whether the susceptibility to mental fatigue (i.e., how much mental fatigue a person experiences and how much it affects performance) can be classified as a state or a trait characteristic, or combination of both. Therefore, a follow-up measurement of a large-scale experimental study was conducted to assess the temporal robustness of mental fatigue susceptibility.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-five participants (10♀; 31 ± 8 y) finished a familiarization, intervention (Stroop task) and control (documentary) trial on two separate occasions (i.e., baseline and follow-up) approximately one year apart. Subjective (i.e., subjective feeling of mental fatigue (MVAS) and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE)) and behavioral (i.e., GoNoGo task reaction time and distance covered during a cycling time trial) outcomes were selected for further analysis. Temporal robustness was analyzed by comparing mixed linear models between baseline and follow-up, and performing intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) on the condition differences between baseline and follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The influence of the Stroop task on the time trial performance revealed fair temporal robustness (ICC = 0.448, p = 0.011), while also showing a diminishing effect of mental fatigue in follow-up compared to baseline. The influence of mental fatigue on RPE values was significant at baseline (β = 2.85, p = 0.022), and showed a trend towards significance at follow-up (β = 2.22, p = 0.058). GoNoGo reaction time showed limited consistency between baseline and follow-up, while there was a small significant correlation after the intervention/control task for the MVAS (ICC = 0.336, p = 0.047). There were no other significant correlations between condition differences.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings favor a state-like interpretation of mental fatigue susceptibility. The results highlight the importance of RPE in driving the negative influence of mental fatigue on physical performance, while also confirming the discrepancy in subjective and behavioral quantification of mental fatigue. Future research is necessary to further investigate this phenomenon, ideally focusing on the additional influence of external features such as weather and occupational cognitive demands on mental fatigue susceptibility. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05576935, registered 1st of July 2022, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05576935?term=NCT05576935&rank=1.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13379546/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148472537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond the Court: Psychological Indicators Differentiate Elite and Sub-elite South Australian Youth Basketball Players.","authors":"Michael Rogers, Alyson J Crozier, Jordan L Fox, Grant R Tomkinson","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01077-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01077-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Understanding differences in non-game performance indicators-spanning physical, motor, technical, tactical, and psychological domains-may assist athlete profiling and monitoring in youth basketball. However, comparatively little is known about whether standardised psychological measures differentiate competitive standards in youth basketball.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to quantify mean differences in non-game performance indicators between elite and sub-elite South Australian youth basketball players using a quantitative cross-sectional design.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>All South Australian under-16 and under-18 Division 1 and 2 district basketball players were invited to participate. A total of 174 players (n = 98 [56%] male), including 125 elite and 49 sub-elite players, were assessed. Non-game performance indicators included anthropometric, physical fitness, movement skill, and psychological measures. Generalised linear models adjusted for age, sex, and biological maturation were used to quantify differences between elite and sub-elite players. Differences in means were expressed as partial eta-squared (η²) effect sizes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After adjustment, elite players demonstrated significantly higher confidence (η² = 0.138), instrumental leadership (η² = 0.123), competitiveness (η² = 0.120), and body mass (η² = 0.074) compared to sub-elite players.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Significant psychological and anthropometric differences exist between elite and sub-elite youth basketball players. These findings support the inclusion of psychological assessment within multidimensional athlete profiling and monitoring frameworks, although longitudinal studies are required to establish their predictive value for future playing success.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13379528/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148472607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Omega-3 Index and Self-Reported Dietary Intake of DHA and EPA in Highly Trained, Elite and World Class (Tier 3-5) Male and Female Athletes: An Australian Based Cross-sectional Study.","authors":"Michael J Macartney, Ryan Anthony, Joel Craddock, Marijka Batterham, Gregory E Peoples","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01070-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01070-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) support cardiovascular health; however, athletes often exhibit Omega-3 Index (O3I) levels below 8%, a threshold associated with reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, suggesting insufficient dietary intake of DHA and EPA. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterise the O3I, dietary intake of DHA and EPA, and supplement use in a large cohort of highly trained, elite and world class (Tier 3-5) Australian based athletes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this multi-site cross-sectional study, 595 male and female athletes (18-45 years) from 17 sports provided a dried blood spot for whole blood fatty acid analysis and completed a dietary survey. The O3I was derived using a validated conversion algorithm. Dietary DHA and EPA intake was assessed using a marine food frequency questionnaire. Group comparisons were conducted using Mann-Whitney U and independent-samples t-tests, and differences across intake quartiles were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mean (SD) O3I was 5.88 ± 1.40%, with 3% of athletes < 4%, 60% between 4-6%, 30% between 6-8%, and only 7% ≥ 8%. O3I increased across DHA + EPA intake quartiles (p < 0.001) and was higher in males than females (p < 0.01). Athletes reporting omega-3 supplement use (19%) had higher O3I (Median [IQR]) compared with non-users (7.02 [6.28-8.01%] vs 5.38 [4.82-6.02%]; p < 0.001). Median total daily DHA + EPA intake was 261 mg/day, with 72% of athletes consuming < 500 mg/day. Daily whole-food intake of DHA + EPA was modest and did not differ by sex.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Most athletes based in Australia had O3I below the ≥ 8% CVD risk reduction threshold, highlighting opportunities for organisations and sporting bodies to support initiatives that increase DHA and EPA intake.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13379551/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148472619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}