Eating disorder behavior in physically active Norwegian women

Is Football or Badminton Associated With More Positive Affect? The Links Between Affects and Sports Club Membership Among French Adolescents

Prior studies extensively examined the way sports club membership can lead to beneficial affective outcomes. Prior experiments also found that team sports, intensive sports, and sports that are frequently pursued can lead to even more affective benefits. However, no prior studies examined the differences between the affective benefits of specific sports. Based on prior results, we supposed that certain sports that meet all the previously set criteria—will provide the greatest affective benefits. The present large-scale investigation examined the data of adolescents (N = 12,849, female = 5,812, aged between 10 and 18, Mage = 12.56 years, and SDage = 2.00) and aimed to fill this gap. Firstly, the results showed that—although differences in affect can be found between the lack of club membership and most of the sports club memberships—the differences between the specific sports are less striking. Secondly, the sports that are associated with the highest level of positive and the lowest level of negative affectivity are not necessarily the ones expected. Finally, adolescents who practice athletics, reported the lowest means of negative, and the highest means of positive affect. However, it did not differ significantly from the results regarding the most practiced sport in France: soccer. Our results suggest that soccer as the most practice sport among French adolescents was associated with more positive affects than the majority of the 10 most licensed members French sports practiced by teens between 2008 and 2019. All in all, being a member of a sports club is associated with affective benefits, and some specific sports clubs can have some extra benefits.

Disordered Eating Attitudes, Anxiety, Self-Esteem and Perfectionism in Young Athletes and Non-Athletes

Eating disorders are associated with short and long-term consequences that can affect sports performance. The purposes of this study were to investigate whether female athletes, particularly gymnasts and footballers, exhibit more eating problems compared to female non-athletes, and to identify individual personality characteristics including anxiety, self-esteem, and perfectionism as possible contributors to eating disorder risk. In a sample of 120 participants, 80 adolescent female athletes were compared to a control condition of 40 non-athletes (mean age 17.2 ± 2.82). Participants responded to a questionnaire package to investigate the presence of disordered eating (SCOFF) and psychological variables in relation to disordered eating symptoms or eating disorder status. Subsequently, anthropometric measures were obtained individually by trained staff. There were statistically significant differences between conditions. One of the most important results was the score in SCOFF (Mann-Whitney = 604, p < 0.05; Cohen's d = 0.52, r = 0.25), being higher in control than in the gymnast condition. These results suggest that non-athlete female adolescents show more disturbed eating behaviours and thoughts than female adolescents from aesthetic sport modalities and, therefore, may have an enhanced risk of developing clinical eating disorders.

Perfectionism and Risk for Disordered Eating among Young French Male Cyclists of High Performance

The aim of this study was to examine the associations between dimensions of perfectionism and eating disorder symptoms among 42 young male amateur cyclists ( M = 21.8 yr., SD = 3.7) over the three performance categories (Elite, National, Regional). They completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and the Eating Attitudes Test, and the Body Mass Index was computed. Analysis showed athletes in the performance categories did not differ on dimensions of perfectionism. Only the National category differed from the Regional and the Elite categories in log-transformed Oral Control. Regression analyses showed that Other Oriented Perfectionism significantly contributed 15%, 12%, and 14% of the variance, respectively, in the prediction of log-transformed Global EAT, Dieting, and Bulimia scores. Socially Prescribed Perfectionism was the significant predictor of log-transformed Oral Control scores, accounting for 16% of the variance. This study highlights the relevance of interpersonal facets of the perfectionism construct to eating disorder symptoms.

Pursuit of performance excellence: a population study of Norwegian adolescent female cross-country skiers and biathletes with disordered eating

Aim

To examine the prevalence of disordered eating (DE) among the total population of Norwegian female cross-country skiers and biathletes at the junior level, and to determine whether sociodemographic characteristics predict DE among athletes.

Methods

A cross-sectional population study of Norwegian female junior cross-country skiers and biathletes (n=262), with a response rate of 86%. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses explored the prevalence of DE and its relation to sports, competitive age groups, competitive status and education. DE was defined as meeting at least 1 of the following criteria from 2 subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2: the Drive for Thinness score ≥15 and/or the Body Dissatisfaction score ≥14.

Results

18.7% of the athletes had DE. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of DE between the sports or the competitive age groups. Athletes who had dropped out of sports had a significantly higher occurrence of DE, while athletes who attended upper secondary schools of elite sports or general studies had a significantly higher occurrence of DE based on Drive for Thinness.

Conclusions

The number of female cross-country skiers and biathletes with DE is higher than that found in previous similar studies using the same screening instruments. Type of education and competitive status are significant predictors of DE, indicating that DE in addition to having adverse effects on an athlete's health, may also lead to early dropout of sport. This indicates that health and achievement are not always compatible within sports.

Critical Factors of Social Physique Anxiety: Exercising and Body Image Satisfaction

This study aimed to examine the critical roles of exercising and body image satisfaction on social physique anxiety (SPA) among female university students. For this aim, 118 female university students, 58 of whom exercised regularly, participated in the study. The Social Physique Anxiety Scale, Eating Attitudes Test, and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale were administered to the participants; their dieting habits were also investigated. Results revealed that approximately half of the participants used at least one unhealthy weight control method in the past 6 months. An analysis of covariance indicated that, after controlling for the effects of abnormal eating behavior, participants who were dissatisfied with their body image and did not participate in a regular exercise activity experienced higher social physique anxiety. However, such a tendency was not found for social anxiety. Thus, these characteristics seem to be specific to social physique anxiety. It was concluded that individuals who have negative view of their appearance were more prone to experience SPA, and they might be avoiding exercise for self presentational purposes. Findings were discussed in the light of literature.

Factors associated with abnormal eating attitudes among female college students in Japan

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence rates of abnormal eating attitudes and associated risk factors among female Japanese college students.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The study population was 7812 female college students in Tokyo. They were asked to fill out the Japanese version of EAT-26 and lifestyle questionnaires.

RESULTS

5.1% of the subjects had a total EAT-26 score above the cutoff point (>20). Multiple regression analysis found the most important factors associated with abnormal eating attitudes were distorted body image, fewer sleeping hours, irregular meal habits, cigarette smoking and more exercise.

DISCUSSION

The prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes among female college students in this study was lower than that of Japanese female high school students and lower than that reported for college students of both western and non-western countries. Our results suggest that body image dissatisfaction may be the most important factor associated with abnormal eating behavior.

Body-esteem, body mass index, and risk for disordered eating among adolescents in synchronized swimming

The aim of this study was to examine dimensions of body-esteem, Body Mass Index, and their relations with eating disorder symptoms among 42 elite adolescent athletes engaged in competitive synchronized swimming (M = 15.4 yr., SD = 1.2) and to compare them with 40 athletes in sports with no emphasis on leanness (M = 16.5 yr., SD = .93), and 50 nonathlete college female students (M = 16.3 yr., SD = 1.1). They completed the Body-esteem Scale and the Eating Attitudes Test, and the Body Mass Index was computed. Analysis showed synchronized swimmers reported greater negative feelings about their appearance than the two other groups and low perceptions of how others evaluate their physical appearance. Participants did not differ on the EAT-26. Regression analyses showed that Body Mass Index and Body-esteem Appearance accounted for 38% of the variance in log-transformed Dieting scores of synchronized swimmers. Results are discussed in relation to the literature.

Anorexia athletica

In many sports, athletes with low body weight have a distinct advantage over their opponents; however, this advantage can easily turn into a noticeable disadvantage because low body weight may also be associated with health problems. The present review focuses on the problem of anorexia athletica, with its emphasis on leanness and thinness in female and male sports athletes. Athletes often restrict calories and/or overexercise to achieve or maintain low body and fat masses. There is a growing body of evidence that several metabolic and endocrine disturbances are the result of prolonged energy restriction. However, the long-term outcome of such sport-related disordered eating has not been thoroughly studied. Effective methods of treatment are scarce and similar to treatment of eating disorders. Scientific studies are needed that help establish alternative regulations for sports in which a low body weight is a primary advantage for performance.

Gender, eating behavior, and personality characteristics in physically active students

The aim of this paper was to examine associations between personality traits, eating disorder (ED) behavior, exercise, and gender. The participants (n=1482: 905 women and 577 men) were students from four universities in Norway. The subjects filled out a compound questionnaire including demographics, weekly hours of exercise, type of sport, Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI). Because of the data collection procedure, it is difficult to provide a clear-cut response rate in this study. The results showed that the risk ratio for women who scored 40 or higher on the EDI was three times higher compared with men. ED behavior did not seem to be associated with high weekly hours of physical activity in general. There were significant gender differences in personality traits. However, women and men with high scores on the EDI showed no differences on the KSP scales, except on "detachment" and "indirect aggression". The most important predictors for weekly hours of physical activity were the EDI scales "drive for thinness" and "body dissatisfaction", and the personality variables "extraversion" and "neuroticism". The factors that contributed most to the differences between students who scored 40 or higher on the EDI and those who scored below 40 on the EDI were neuroticism, BMI, gender, and age.

Prevalence of eating disorders in elite athletes is higher than in the general population

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the study were to examine the prevalence of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), anorexia athletica (AA), and eating disorders not otherwise specified (ED-NOS) in both male and female Norwegian elite athletes and a representative sample from the general Norwegian population.

DESIGN

A 2-step study including self-reported questionnaire and clinical interview.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

The entire population of Norwegian male and female elite athletes (n=1620) and controls (n=1696) was evaluated for the presence of eating disorders (EDs).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT

Based on the results of the questionnaire, all athletes and controls classified as at risk for EDs, and a representative sample of athletes and controls classified as healthy participated in the clinical part of the study to determine the number of subjects meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria for EDs.

RESULTS

More athletes (13.5%) than controls (4.6%; P<0.001) had subclinical or clinical EDs. The prevalence of EDs among male athletes was greater in antigravitation sports (22%) than in ball game (5%) and endurance sports (9%; P<0.05). The prevalence of EDs among female athletes competing in aesthetic sports (42%) was higher than that observed in endurance (24%), technical (17%), and ball game sports (16%).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of EDs is higher in athletes than in controls, higher in female athletes than in male athletes, and more common among those competing in leanness-dependent and weight-dependent sports than in other sports. A collaborative effort among coaches, athletic trainers, parents, physicians, and athletes is optimal for recognizing, preventing, and treating EDs in athletes.

Assessment of two self-reporting questionnaires for eating disorders in women

OBJECTIVE

The goals of this study were to evaluate how well the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) predicted specific eating disorders as identified by the Survey of Eating Disorders (SED), and to identify the most predictive EDI scales. An additional goal was to evaluate the EDI as a screening instrument for eating disorders among a large non-clinical group of women.

METHOD

The community-based study sample consisted of 1245 Norwegian women between age 18 and 50 years (mean 23). Subjects filled out the EDI and the SED.

RESULTS

The strongest predictors of SED-defined eating disorders were the EDI scales bulimia (BN) and drive of thinness (DT) and body mass index (BMI). When we classified women with an EDI sum score of 40 or higher as having an eating disorder (ED), the sensitivity was 38% and the specificity was 90%, compared to the SED diagnosis of ED.

DISCUSSION

Our findings suggest modest agreement between the EDI and the SED, and modest sensitivity and specificity of the EDI. While these instruments, perhaps with some modification, may be adequate for use in selected research applications, they should probably be supplemented with additional information in a clinical or treatment setting.