Awareness of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport Among Russian Coaches Working with Athletes of Various Levels in Athletics and Short-Track Speed Skating

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) can adversely affect athletes’ health and performance. Coaches in individual sports may help recognize warning signs and facilitate referrals, yet their awareness remains understudied, especially among high-performance professionals. A cross-sectional survey using a translated, pilot-tested, and expert-reviewed adaptation of the Lodge et al. questionnaire was conducted among 101 Russian athletics (n = 75) and short-track speed skating (n = 26) coaches. The primary outcome was self-reported prior awareness of RED-S. Among coaches reporting awareness, secondary outcomes were self-rated confidence and recognition of 12 adverse RED-S consequences. Of 99 coaches who answered the awareness question, 39 (39.4%; 95% CI, 30.3–49.2%) reported prior awareness. Among these 39 coaches, 19 (48.7%) rated their confidence as moderate to very high, and the mean consequence-recognition score was 5.64 ± 4.04 out of 12; 11 (28.2%) recognized at least 9 of 12 consequences. In unadjusted and multivariable analyses, no statistically significant associations were found between prior awareness and sport, sex, athletes’ competitive level, or coaching qualification, although confidence intervals were wide. These findings suggest limited prior awareness of RED-S in the surveyed sample and limited consequence recognition among coaches reporting prior awareness. They may indicate an educational gap with potential implications for athlete health. Targeted coach education should be evaluated in future studies.