Readers of the Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching will be familiar with the female athlete triad (FAD), terminology which in years past described a women-only condition common to those who competed in sports that emphasized weight, leanness, and aesthetics. Wrestling, distance running, and gymnastics come to mind. Over time, as it became accepted that “gender is widely understood as a spectrum with dozens of recognized identities”, it was also recognized that the triad could, and did, afflict all genders. To reflect this wider application, became known as relative energy deficiency in sport, or RED-S.

Because RED-S, which may be characterized by such clinical symptoms as disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis, contributes to serious health issues, it is vital that coaches develop an in-depth understanding of this complex and potentially dangerous syndrome. The Journal thanks author M. Khonina for skillfully demystifying RED-S and for providing coaches with essential tools to help them support the health of all their athletes. — Sheila Robertson, Journal Editor.

The views expressed in the articles of the Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching are those of the authors and do not reflect the policies of the Coaching Association of Canada