The Study
Diet, risk of disordered eating and running-related injury in adult distance runners: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.
This study looked at lots of runners and found that those who got hurt often ate less energy, fat, and fiber than those who didn’t get hurt. But it doesn’t prove that eating less caused the injuries — maybe hurt runners just ate less because they were injured.
Analysis score
Maximum 85 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
This study looked at what runners eat and found that those who eat less energy, fat, or fibre are more likely to get injured.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 539 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — eating too little energy, fat, or fibre may make runners more likely to get hurt, especially women.
- 2Female runners who ate 303 fewer calories and 20 fewer grams of fat per day had more injuries.
- 3All runners who ate 3 fewer grams of fibre per day had more injuries.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of science and medicine in sport
Year
2025
Authors
Erin A. Colebatch, Joel T. Fuller, E. Mantzioris, Alison M. Hill
Related Content
Claims (5)
Athletes who do not consume enough energy to meet their training demands have a higher rate of injury compared to those who do.
Female distance runners who consume less total energy and fat have a higher rate of running-related injuries and bone stress injuries.
Female distance runners who consume 303 fewer calories and 20 fewer grams of fat per day than average are more likely to sustain running-related injuries.
Runners who consume 3 grams less dietary fibre per day than average have a higher rate of running-related injuries.
The amount of total fat consumed is linked to the risk of running injuries, and this link is different for men and women.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.