Women Across the Lifespan: Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Performance from Health to Sport

Understanding how nutrition, physical activity, and exercise-based interventions intersect with female-specific physiology is an increasingly vital area of research in health, performance, and prevention. Women’s nutritional needs and responses to exercise can shift considerably across life stages, adolescence, reproductive years, pregnancy, perimenopause/menopause, and older adulthood, due to hormonal fluctuations, body composition changes, and metabolic adaptations. Despite growing interest, gaps in knowledge persist regarding the optimal strategies to support female health and maximize functional and athletic outcomes, especially as most nutrition and performance guidelines were historically derived from male cohorts. Recent studies have begun to highlight crucial sex- and stage-specific factors affecting dietary requirements and exercise efficacy in women, such as the impact of the menstrual cycle on energy metabolism, and the roles of micronutrients in bone, muscle, and cardiometabolic health.Groundbreaking advances now point towards the need for tailored approaches that recognize the unique physiological responses and health challenges as women progress through the lifespan. Research on energy availability, relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs), micronutrient sufficiency, hydration, and the application of ergogenic aids reveals differing needs and effects compared to men or across life phases. However, comprehensive, context-specific evidence, especially in relation to practical nutritional and lifestyle interventions linked to tangible performance and health outcomes in diverse female populations, remains underexplored. In addition, methodological challenges persist in monitoring nutrition status, recovery, and adaptation in this population.This Research Topic aims to synthesize and advance multidisciplinary evidence on how nutrition and lifestyle factors can be best leveraged to enhance women’s health, performance, recovery, and functional capacity at any age. By bridging gaps across sport, recreational activity, and clinical or at-risk groups, it seeks to clarify the interplay between diet, exercise, and stage-specific physiology, promoting equitable, evidence-based recommendations for female populations. We particularly encourage submissions addressing innovative, practical interventions and those considering the unique metabolic, hormonal, and functional needs of women across transitions.Our exploration focuses on interventions and outcomes specifically rooted in the intersection of nutrition, physical activity, and female biology, with consideration for both athletic and general populations. Studies must clearly link outcomes to nutrition and lifestyle strategies. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Energy availability, REDs, and female athlete considerations including menstrual cycle-related aspecto Nutrition strategies for performance, recovery, fatigue resistance, and training adaptation in womeno Macronutrient timing and periodization, as well as hydration approaches across life stageso The roles of key micronutrients (iron, vitamin D, calcium) in fatigue mitigation, injury prevention, and functional capacityo Ergogenic aids in women, focusing on efficacy, safety, dosage, and practical applicationo Combined nutrition and exercise interventions for perimenopausal, menopausal, and older women targeting muscle, bone, and functional healtho Methodological innovations for assessing nutritional status, intervention efficacy, and health outcomes in female cohortsWe accept original research, reviews, perspectives, brief research reports, and methodological advances relevant to this Research Topic. Topic editors: Jorge Sánchez-Infante, Miguel López Moreno Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77956/women-across-the-lifespan-nutrition-physical-activity-and-performance-from-health-to-sport