Low energy intake, nutrient gaps, and high blood pressure in Black Division I college athletes
Official title: Low Energy Availability (LEA), Nutritional Deficiencies and Hypertension in Black Division I Athletes
Funded at North Carolina Agri & Tech St Univ · NIH-11177894 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether not eating enough and missing key nutrients may help explain higher blood pressure in Black Division I college athletes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | North Carolina Agri & Tech St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Greensboro, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $179,428 |
| NIH project number | 5R16HL179144-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177894 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Black NCAA Division I collegiate athletes, especially those with signs of low energy availability or elevated blood pressure.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not Division I athletes, not Black, or who do not have low energy availability or hypertension are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you are a Black Division I college athlete, researchers will look at your calorie intake, energy use, and markers of nutrient status alongside blood pressure readings to see if low energy availability links to hypertension. They will collect diet and activity information, measure relevant blood biomarkers, and compare groups with and without low energy availability. The team will also explore whether restoring energy balance or correcting nutrient gaps could reduce blood pressure risks. Findings are aimed at identifying athletes at risk and guiding practical nutrition and training changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify at-risk athletes and lead to nutrition or training changes that reduce high blood pressure risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies link low energy availability to problems like bone loss and menstrual dysfunction in athletes, but using this approach to explain hypertension in Black collegiate athletes is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
North Carolina Agri & Tech St Univ
Greensboro, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Purdom, Troy — North Carolina Agri & Tech St Univ
- Study coordinator: Purdom, Troy
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.