Descriptive Analysis of Mental and Physical Wellness in Collegiate Dancers

A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of the prevalence of self-reported disordered eating and associated factors among athletes worldwide

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to provide a pooled prevalence estimate of self-reported disordered eating (SRDE) in athletes based on the available literature, and to identify risk factors for their occurrence.

METHODS

Across ten academic databases, an electronic search was conducted from inception to 7th January 2024. The proportion of athletes scoring at or above predetermined cutoffs on validated self-reporting screening measures was used to identify disordered eating (DE). Subgroup analysis per country, per culture, and per research measure were also conducted. Age, body mass index (BMI), and sex were considered as associated/correlated factors.

RESULTS

The mean prevalence of SRDE among 70,957 athletes in 177 studies (132 publications) was 19.23% (17.04%; 21.62%), I2 = 97.4%, τ2 = 0.8990, Cochran's Q p value = 0. Australia had the highest percentage of SRDE athletes with a mean of 57.1% (36.0%-75.8%), while Iceland had the lowest, with a mean of 4.9% (1.2%-17.7%). The SRDE prevalence in Eastern countries was higher than in Western countries with 29.1% versus 18.5%. Anaerobic sports had almost double the prevalence of SRDE 37.9% (27.0%-50.2%) compared to aerobic sports 19.6% (15.2%-25%). Gymnastics sports had the highest SRDE prevalence rate, with 41.5% (30.4%-53.6%) while outdoor sports showed the lowest at 15.4% (11.6%-20.2%). Among various tools used to assess SRDE, the three-factor eating questionnaire yielded the highest SRDE rate 73.0% (60.1%-82.8%). Meta-regression analyses showed that female sex, older age, and higher BMI (all p < 0.01) are associated with higher prevalence rates of SRDE.

CONCLUSION

The outcome of this review suggests that factors specific to the sport affect eating behaviors throughout an athlete's life. As a result, one in five athletes run the risk of developing an eating disorder. Culture-specific and sport-specific diagnostic tools need to be developed and increased attention paid to nutritional deficiencies in athletes.

Behind the Curtain: Prevalence of Symptoms of Depression, Generalised Anxiety and Eating Disorders in 147 Professional Dancers from Six Opera Houses or State Theatres

BACKGROUND

Mental health problems cover a wide spectrum. Depression and anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental health problem in the general population and in elite athletes. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of symptoms of depression, generalised anxiety disorder and eating disorders in professional dancers, to compare the results between genders and to the general population and to analyse potential determinants.

METHODS

During a pre-season health screening, professional dancers of six German companies answered a comprehensive questionnaire on personal and dancer-specific characteristics, medical history and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) and Eating-Disorder-Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-QS).

RESULTS

A total of 82 (55.8%) female and 65 (44.2%) male dancers answered the questionnaire. One in five (20.8%) dancers had at least moderate symptoms of either depression, generalised anxiety disorder or eating disorders. The prevalence of at least moderate symptoms of depression was 11.1% in female and 6.4% in male dancers, of generalised anxiety disorder 16.0% in female and 6.4% in male dancers and of eating disorders 14.8% in female and 6.1% in male dancers. Compared to the general population of the same gender and similar age, the prevalence of at least moderate symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder was significantly higher in both genders. About one in four dancers (26.9%) reported a subjective need for support from a psychotherapist at the time of the screening. The PHQ-9, GAD-7 and EDE-QS sum scores were not related to the size or type of the companies, the age or rank of the dancers, but the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 sum score were significantly related to severity of musculoskeletal pain in the past seven days and to chronic or recurrent symptoms of low mood and generalised anxiety.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of symptoms of depression, generalised anxiety and eating disorders was high in professional dancers. Routine screening and low-threshold interventions to improve mental health of professional dancers are recommended.