02/17/2026
We are proud to celebrate our student Abigail Passy on receiving a research grant supported by the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) and The Canadian Chiropractic Association Research Foundation (CCRF).
Abigail is completing her Master’s in Kinesiology and Health Studies, where her research focuses on assessing the prevalence of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) among adolescent female soccer players in Southern Ontario, and its relationship to physiological health, injury risk, and sport participation.
This project addresses a critical and often overlooked issue in sport: female athletes under-fueling. REDs occurs when energy intake does not meet the demands of training and daily life, potentially affecting metabolic function, menstrual health, bone density, immunity, cardiovascular health, and injury risk. Female youth soccer players are a particularly under-studied population, despite high injury rates—especially knee injuries such as ACL tears.
Using a comprehensive research approach, Abigail’s study will follow female soccer players aged 10–24 throughout their season, examining nutrition habits, sleep, physical performance, and overall health. By comparing athletes with and without indicators of REDs, this research aims to better understand how energy deficiency impacts growth, performance, injury risk, and long-term participation in sport.
Special thanks to Dr. Andrew S. Perrotta, Ph.D. for his involvement in securing this grant. The findings from this study will help inform education and support initiatives in collaboration with the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) and The Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation (CCRF); accompanied with the goal of supporting healthier, more sustainable sport participation for young female athletes.
👏 Congratulations, Abigail, on this important and impactful work!
University of Windsor UWindsor Kinesiology
