The adolescent «Female Athlete Triad»

The term «Female Athlete Triad» was first used in 1992 by the American College of Sports Medicine to describe a clinical condition affecting female athletes, and characterised by disordered eating, amenorrhea and osteoporosis. The most important etiologic factor seems to be a negative caloric balance related to poor diet and intense exercise. This condition is often not manifest, but an early diagnosis and a subsequent multidisciplinary therapeutic approach involving the general practitioner, sports physician, psychologist and nutritionist is fundamental to avoid severe clinical consequences such as osteoporosis.