Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study participants M ± SD

Baseline characteristics

Age (years)

17.1 ± 0.9

18.1 ± 2.6

NS

Age at menarche (years)

167.1 ± 4.5

13.0 ± 1.2

0.018

Age at the beginning of training (years)

6.7 ± 0.5

11.2 ± 3.5

< 0.001

Training period (years)

10.7 ± 1.2

6.8 ± 3.3

< 0.001

Number of training sessions per week (n/d)

5.2 ± 0.5

5.2 ± 1.0

NS

Hours of training per day (hours/d)

4.7 ± 1.1

4.0 ± 1.8

NS

Hours of training per week (hours/week)

24.9 ± 6.9

19.5 ± 7.2

0.009

RMR predicted (kcal/d)

1399 ± 60

1458 ± 56

< 0.001

RMR measured (kcal/d)

1198 ± 142

1354 ± 151

0.001

RMR measured/predicted × 100%

85.6 ± 9.1

92.8 ± 10.0

0.011

RMR measured - RMR predicted (kcal/d)

-201.0 ± 122.1

-105.0 ± 146.8

0.017

RMR/FFM (kcal/kg)

28.2 ± 3.6

29.0 ± 3.6

NS

Hormonal parameters

TSH (μIU/mL)

1.96 ± 1.33

1.74 ± 0.80

NS

PRL (ng/mL)

16.38 ± 8.88

13.0 ± 9.33

NS

T (ng/dL)

72.95 ± 25.92

37.28 ± 21.85

< 0.001

SHBG (nmol/L)

71.62 ± 22.03

62.79 ± 41.91

NS

Leptin (ng/mL)

4.59 ± 2.78

6.25 ± 4.94

NS