Affect and cognitive performance in high school wrestlers undergoing rapidweight loss

Recent research has demonstrated transient affective changes and impairment of short-term memory in college wrestlers as a result of rapid weight loss (RWL) of at least 5% body weight prior to competition. This study examined the effects of RWL on cognition and affect in high school wrestlers. Wrest lers were considered to be engaging in RWL if they were losing over 5% of b ody weight (n = 14). Those losing less than 1% of body weight (n = 14) were considered maintainers and served as the control group. Both groups were g iven a battery of tests assessing cognitive performance (Trail Making Tests A & B, Stroop color-word test, Wechsler digit span, and choice reaction/mo vement time) and affective state (PANAS) at normal weight (5 to 10 days pri or to competition) and again 8 to 12 hours prior to weigh-in. Results indic ated an average loss of 4.68 kg in the RWL group and 0.29 kg in the control group. A group-by-time MANOVA and univariate follow-up tests indicated a s ignificant group-by-time interaction for positive affect, p < .014, with th e RWL wrestlers having less positive affect than the control group just pri or to weigh-in. However, none of the cognitive performance tests demonstrat ed significant differential changes for RWL vs. control groups, p > 10. Giv en the control for competition effects in the present study, results sugges t there are affective disturbances, but not cognitive impairments, associat ed with RWL of at least 5% body weight in high school wrestlers.