Physical characteristics, bone health, haematological and endocrine profiles based on sex
| Male Mean±SD n=22 | Female Mean±SD n=21 | P value | |
| Physical characteristics | |||
| Age (years)* | 23.0±5.1 | 21.9±5.5 | 0.264† |
| Weight (kg) | 68.4±10.8 | 58.8±12.2 | 0.009‡ |
| Height (cm) | 169.9±7.2 | 161.4±7.2 | <0.001‡ |
| Fat mass (kg) | 12.5±3.8 | 16.6±1.5 | 0.022‡ |
| Body fat percentage (%) | 17.7±0.7 | 27.3±6.2 | <0.001‡ |
| Measured RMR (mRMR) (kcal/day) | 1618±210 | 1328±179 | <0.001‡ |
| Predicted RMR (pRMR) (kcal/day) (Cunningham equation) | 1676±179 | 1391±168 | <0.001‡ |
| Bone health | |||
| BMD lumbar (g/cm2) | 1.2±0.1 | 1.1±0.1 | 0.016‡ |
| Z-score lumbar | 1.7±1.0 | 0.9±1.2 | 0.079‡ |
| BMD total hip (g/cm2) | 1.2±0.1 | 1.0±0.1 | <0.00‡ |
| Z-score total hip* | 2.1±1.4 | 1.0±2.2 | 0.087‡ |
| Low BMD§ (Z-score<−1.0 at any scanned site) | 0 | 2 (9.5) | 0.138¶ |
| Normal BMD§ (Z-score>−1.0 at any scanned site) | 22 (100) | 19 (90.5) | |
| Haematological and endocrine profiles | |||
| Ferritin (µg/L) | 140.1±68.2 | 116.6±64.2 | 0.104‡ |
| Free triiodothyronine (fT3) (pmol/L)* | 4.2±0.2 | 3.6±1.8 | 0.009† |
| Luteinising hormone (LH) (IU/L) | 3.4±1.5 | 2.9±3.1 | 0.520‡ |
| Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (IU/L) | 3.9±1.9 | 4.1±4.0 | 0.295‡ |
| Estradiol (pmol/L) | n/a | 156.0±233.5 | n/a |
| Testosterone (nmol/L) | 18.9±7.1 | n/a | n/a |
| Low ferritin level§ | 1 (4.5) | 2 (9.5) | 0.522¶ |
| Normal ferritin level§ | 21 (95.5) | 19 (90.5) | |
| Low fT3 level§ | 2 (9.1) | 6 (28.6) | 0.101¶ |
| Normal fT3 level§ | 20 (90.9) | 15 (71.4) | |
| Low LH level§ | 1 (4.5) | 6 (28.6) | 0.033¶ |
| Normal LH level§ | 21 (95.5) | 15 (71.4) | |
| Low FSH level§ | 1 (4.5) | 6 (28.6) | 0.033¶ |
| Normal FSH level§ | 21 (95.5) | 15 (71.4) | |
| Low estradiol level§ | – | 7 (33.3) | |
| Normal estradiol level§ | – | 14 (66.7) | |
| Low testosterone level§ | 3 (13.6) | – | |
| Normal testosterone level§ | 19 (86.4) | – | |
*Median (IQR).
†Mann-Whitney U test.
‡Independent t-test.
§n (%).
¶x² test.
BMD, bone mineral density; RMR, resting metabolic rate.