Disordered eating behaviors and body image in male athletes

Body evaluation in men: the role of body weight dissatisfaction in appearance evaluation, eating, and muscle dysmorphia psychopathology

BACKGROUND

Body image dissatisfaction is a significant concern among men, influencing appearance evaluation, eating behaviors, and muscle dysmorphia psychopathology. However, research on these correlations is notably deficient in men, largely because body image concerns are unevenly distributed between genders. Therefore, this study aims to assess the various dimensions of concerns about body image in men and explore their associations with characteristics such as sexual orientation.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 251 adult men from fitness centers in the Veneto Region, Italy. Participants completed self-report questionnaires, including the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Appearance Schemas Inventory-Revised (ASI-R), and the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI). Body weight perception and dissatisfaction were evaluated using a Figure Rating Scale (FRS) with 12 male biometric silhouettes.

RESULTS

Participants were divided into three subgroups based on the experienced levels of body weight dissatisfaction: those who rated a smaller body (BWsmaller), those who rated a larger body (BWlarger) more highly relative to their own estimated body size, and those who reported implicit neutrality with their current weight (BWneu). BWsmaller participants reported higher levels of eating-related concern, while BWlarger participants exhibited higher levels of muscle dysmorphia. Additionally, the BWlarger group showed the highest degree of quantitative perceptual underestimation of their body weight. Sexual orientation was found to have an impact on body weight dissatisfaction, with bisexual men more likely to desire an increase in weight and gay men more likely to desire a decrease.

CONCLUSIONS

Body weight dissatisfaction significantly impacts appearance evaluation, eating behaviors, and muscle dysmorphia psychopathology in males. Tailored interventions that consider individual differences can support the well-being of men. The study provides useful insight into male body image issues, warranting further exploration to inform effective interventions and promote positive body image and mental health in this population.

Associations between anthropometry, body composition, and body image in athletes: a systematic review

Introduction

Poor body image is a potent risk factor for disordered eating and eating disorders. Athletes are a population at increased risk for eating disorders despite reports of lower body image concerns compared to non-athletes. Body size and composition may influence an athlete's susceptibility to poor body image.

Methods

Five electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus) were searched to systematically evaluate the literature regarding the association between body measures (i.e., anthropometric and body composition indicators) and body image in athletes. The systematic review was completed following PRISMA guidelines and 27 cross-sectional studies were identified for inclusion and evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies.

Results

Studies differed in methodological assessment of anthropometry or body composition (i.e., self-reported versus researcher-measured), methods for evaluating aspects of body image, geographic location, and sport type. Higher body mass index (BMI) or percent body fat (%BF) was significantly associated with greater body dissatisfaction in 16 of 22 studies (72.7%). Positive associations between body measures and aspects of negative body image were most consistently observed among studies that assessed BMI based on self-reported heights and weights, while significant associations between body composition measures (e.g., %BF, fat mass, fat-free mass) were less common. Four of seven studies assessing relationships between BMI and an aspect of positive body image reported significant inverse relationships, while three revealed insignificant associations.

Discussion

Overall, higher BMI and body fat were associated with body dissatisfaction among athletes. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings within focused populations and utilizing body composition methods (e.g., bioelectrical impedance techniques).

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, CRD42023446518.

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.

Prevalence of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) among National Athletes in Malaysia

Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), which underpins the concept of low energy availability (LEA), can negatively affect athletes’ health and performance. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of RED-S among national athletes in Malaysia. A total of 192 national athletes (97 males, 18–39 years old) responded to an online survey regarding the RED-S risk. Most athletes (67.2%) were classified as having a medium/high RED-S risk. Female (41.2%), weight-class (23.9%), and intermittent sports (20.3%) had the highest prevalence of medium/high RED-S risk. Overall, most athletes spent 2–5 h daily (55.2%) and 6–7 days weekly (53.6%) practicing or playing their sport, and 47.9% reported feeling tired recently. The athletes were also terrified of being overweight (61.5%), worried about what they eat (64.7%), concerned about having fat on their bodies (62.6%), and thinking about burning calories while exercising (69.3%). Only 16.7% of the athletes had a prior history of stress fractures, and 40.6% continued to participate in activities 6–7 days per week while injured. The majority of female athletes (88.3%) had regular menstrual cycles. These findings support the notion that RED-S screening should be addressed in the athletic community. Future research is needed to clinically assess these athletes and investigate the impacts of RED-S on their health and sports performance.

The Evaluation of Energy Availability and Dietary Nutrient Intake of Sport Climbers at Different Climbing Levels

Proper nutrition is the basis for athletes' performances when competing or training. The increasing training volume accompanying the increase in advancement should go hand in hand with the appropriate supply of energy as well as macro and micronutrients. The diet of climbing representatives due to the desire to achieve a low body weight may be deficient in energy and micronutrients. Our study aimed to evaluate the differences in energy availability and nutrient intake of female and male sport climbers at different climbing levels. Anthropometric parameters and the resting metabolic rate were measured, the questionnaire about climbing grade and training hours was filled, and a 3-day food diary was fulfilled by 106 sport climbers. Based on the collected data, the energy availability as well as the macro- and micronutrient intake was calculated. Low energy availability (EA) was observed among both genders of sport climbing representatives. A significant difference between EA in various levels of advancement was found in the male group (p < 0.001). Differences in carbohydrate intake (g/kg/BW) between sexes were observed (p = 0.01). Differences in nutrients intake between climbing grade were found in both the female and male groups. In the group of female elite athletes, the adequate supply of most of the micronutrients can imply a high-quality diet despite the low calorie content. It is necessary to educate sport climbing representatives about the importance of proper nutrition as well as the consequences of insufficient energy intake.

Body shape perception in men and women without obesity during caloric restriction: a secondary analysis from the CALERIE study

OBJECTIVE

To examine body shape perception in 218 adults without obesity or history of eating disorders during caloric restriction (CR).

METHODS

Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) is a 2-year, randomized clinical trial using a 2:1 assignment (CR, 25% reduction in calories; Control, typical diet). For this secondary analysis, we examined perceived body shape using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). Analyses of BSQ scores are reported by group, over time, by sex, and by BMI. Data for body fat percentage, symptoms of depression, food cravings, maximal oxygen consumption, and stress were analyzed for their association with BSQ scores.

RESULTS

Compared to control, CR reduced BSQ scores. Women tended to have greater concern with body shape than men across all measurement times. There was no difference in change in BSQ scores at 12 or 24 months between those with a BMI < 25 kg/m² or ≥ 25 kg/m². Change in body fat percentage was most correlated with change in BSQ score from 0 to 12 (r = 0.39) and 0-24 months (r = 0.38). For change in BSQ score, Akaike/ Bayesian information criterion (AIC/BIC) found that the model of best fit included the following three change predictors: change in body fat percentage, depression symptoms, and food cravings. For 0-12 months, AIC/BIC = 1482.0/1505.6 and for 0-24 months AIC/BIC = 1364.8/1386.5.

CONCLUSIONS

CR is associated with reduced concern for body shape in men and women without obesity and with no history of eating disorders. Body shape perception among this sample was complex and influenced by multiple factors.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I, randomized controlled trial.

Energy availability and macronutrient intake in elite male Gaelic football players

Evidence suggests that Gaelic football (GF) players do not meet the recommended energy intake (EI) levels and therefore may be at risk of low energy availability (LEA). This study examined energy availability (EA) in 20 elite male GF players. At two stages during a season (2019-2020), repeated measures of EI, exercise energy expenditure (EEE), EA and body composition were performed. Sixty-five percent reported with LEA [<30 kcal.kg Lean Body Mass (LBM)^-1.day^-1] at pre-season (PRE), with 70% at in-season (IN). Mean daily carbohydrate intake (PRE 3.2 ± 0.82 g.kg; IN 3.4 ± 0.79 g.kg) was below the recommended intake (5-7 g.kg) in 95% at PRE and 100% at IN. All consumed the recommended daily amount of protein (PRE 1.85 ± 0.57 g.kg; IN 1.87 ± 0.48 g.kg) and fat (PRE 1.23 ± 0.4 g.kg; IN 1.02 ± 0.3 g.kg). Significant correlations (P = 0.001) were reported between EA and carbohydrates (PRE r = 0.801; IN r = 0.714); protein (PRE r = 0.675; IN r = 0.769); fat (PRE r = 0.805; IN r = 0.733) and energy intake (PRE r = 0.960; IN r = 0.949). Twenty percent were at risk of disordered eating. This study suggests male elite GF players require education and interventions surrounding nutrition, in particular EA.

Risk factors in body image dissatisfaction: gender, maladaptive perfectionism, and psychological wellbeing

Discontent with one's appearance (body image dissatisfaction) has become a global phenomenon, associated with the development of extreme behaviours in order to correct perceived body image problems. Much of the literature has focused on associated destructive behaviours that result from body image dissatisfaction; however, there has been a dearth of research examining risk factors for body image problems in adults. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate risk factors associated with adult body image problems, focusing on two variables highlighted in the literature (gender and maladaptive perfectionism). The current study (1) compared gender differences in body image dissatisfaction and (2) investigated psychological wellbeing as a mediator between maladaptive perfectionism and body image dissatisfaction. The sample included 139 Australian adults from universities (55.7%) and the community (44.3%). Participants completed demographic questions, the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Psychological Wellbeing questionnaire, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, and Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. In contrast to predictions, females had higher body area satisfaction and appearance evaluation scores. Furthermore, in line with the hypotheses, psychological wellbeing fully mediated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and poor body image. The findings suggest gender, maladaptive perfectionism, and psychological wellbeing may act as risk factors for body image dissatisfaction.

Screening for Low Energy Availability in Male Athletes: Attempted Validation of LEAM-Q

A questionnaire-based screening tool for male athletes at risk of low energy availability (LEA) could facilitate both research and clinical practice. The present options rely on proxies for LEA such screening tools for disordered eating, exercise dependence, or those validated in female athlete populations. in which the female-specific sections are excluded. To overcome these limitations and support progress in understanding LEA in males, centres in Australia, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden collaborated to develop a screening tool (LEAM-Q) based on clinical investigations of elite and sub-elite male athletes from multiple countries and ethnicities, and a variety of endurance and weight-sensitive sports. A bank of questions was developed from previously validated questionnaires and expert opinion on various clinical markers of LEA in athletic or eating disorder populations, dizziness, thermoregulation, gastrointestinal symptoms, injury, illness, wellbeing, recovery, sleep and sex drive. The validation process covered reliability, content validity, a multivariate analysis of associations between variable responses and clinical markers, and Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analysis of variables, with the inclusion threshold being set at 60% sensitivity. Comparison of the scores of the retained questionnaire variables between subjects classified as cases or controls based on clinical markers of LEA revealed an internal consistency and reliability of 0.71. Scores for sleep and thermoregulation were not associated with any clinical marker and were excluded from any further analysis. Of the remaining variables, dizziness, illness, fatigue, and sex drive had sufficient sensitivity to be retained in the questionnaire, but only low sex drive was able to distinguish between LEA cases and controls and was associated with perturbations in key clinical markers and questionnaire responses. In summary, in this large and international cohort, low sex drive was the most effective self-reported symptom in identifying male athletes requiring further clinical assessment for LEA.

Contributing Factors to Low Energy Availability in Female Athletes: A Narrative Review of Energy Availability, Training Demands, Nutrition Barriers, Body Image, and Disordered Eating

Relative Energy Deficiency in sport is experiencing remarkable popularity of late, particularly among female athletes. This condition is underpinned by low energy availability, which is a byproduct of high energy expenditure, inadequate energy intake, or a combination of the two. Several contributing factors exist that may predispose an athlete to low energy availability, and therefore a holistic and comprehensive assessment may be required to identify the root causes. The focus of the current narrative review is to discuss the primary contributing factors as well as known risk factors for low energy availability among female athletes to help practitioners increase awareness on the topic and identify future areas of focus.

Bulimia, corpo e cultura

O estudo avaliou a produção científica em periódicos brasileiros das Ciências da Saúde em relação à bulimia e ao corpo sob a ótica das Ciências Humanas. Para tanto, foi realizada uma revisão sistemática da literatura, na qual se acessou a base eletrônica da Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs) para a coleta de dados. Os termos “transtornos alimentares and corpo”, “transtornos do comportamento alimentar and corpo”, “bulimia and corpo” foram utilizados na busca dos artigos, que incluiu na amostra estudos publicados entre 2013 e 2017, disponíveis na íntegra e publicados em periódicos brasileiros. A amostra consistiu em 19 artigos os quais foram lidos na íntegra. Os resultados demonstraram que a produção científica sobre bulimia e corpo, embora interdisciplinar, possui enlace com as Ciências Naturais. Nesse sentido, conclui-se que há um limite na compreensão do fenômeno sob a ótica da cultura no campo das Ciências da Saúde, e que, um avanço no debate com as Ciências Humanas gerará potencial de abrir novos caminhos interpretativos.

Role of parental confirmation in body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors among college men

To examine how the components of confirmation (i.e., acceptance and challenge) from mother and father have an indirect effect on college men's body dissatisfaction through self-concept, and if body dissatisfaction, in turn, is related to body change behaviors. Participants: College men (N = 237) aged 18-25 from two large universities completed an online survey. Methods: Structural equation modeling was conducted to test hypothesized mediation model. Results: Maternal acceptance had negative indirect effects on body dissatisfaction through self-concept, and body dissatisfaction, in turn, was positively related to body change behaviors. Mother challenge emerged as a near-significant direct and positive predictor of muscularity enhancement behaviors. None of the paternal variables significantly contributed to the model. Conclusions: Mother acceptance may contribute to sons' positive view of self and their appearance, potentially reducing the likelihood of their engagement in body change behaviors. Intervention can target parent-child communication and enhancement of college men's self-concept.

Reasons for and Consequences of Low Energy Availability in Female and Male Athletes: Social Environment, Adaptations, and Prevention

Low energy availability (LEA) represents a state in which the body does not have enough energy left to support all physiological functions needed to maintain optimal health. When compared to the normal population, athletes are particularly at risk to experience LEA and the reasons for this are manifold. LEA may result from altered dietary behaviours that are caused by body dissatisfaction, the belief that a lower body weight will result in greater performance, or social pressure to look a certain way. Pressure can also be experienced from the coach, teammates, and in this day and age through social media platforms. While LEA has been extensively described in females and female athletes have started fighting against the pressure to be thin using their social media platforms, evidence shows that male athletes are at risk as well. Besides those obvious reasons for LEA, athletes engaging in sports with high energy expenditure (e.g. rowing or cycling) can unintentionally experience LEA; particularly, when the athletes' caloric intake is not matched with exercise intensity. Whether unintentional or not, LEA may have detrimental consequences on health and performance, because both short-term and long-term LEA induces a variety of maladaptations such as endocrine alterations, suppression of the reproductive axis, mental disorders, thyroid suppression, and altered metabolic responses. Therefore, the aim of this review is to increase the understanding of LEA, including the role of an athlete's social environment and the performance effects related to LEA.

Self-reported eating disorder risk in lean and non-lean NCAA Collegiate Athletes

PURPOSE

The purpose of this present study was to examine gender differences in overall scores on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college athletes in "lean" sports versus "non-lean" sports.

METHODS

Using a self-report survey design, this study examined eating disorder risk in 121 NCAA college athletes, using the EAT-26. We expected that female athletes and athletes in "lean" sports would report higher scores on the EAT-26.

RESULTS

There was a significant effect of sport type (lean vs. non-lean) on eating attitudes and behaviors, with those in non-lean sports reporting higher scores, on average, on the attitudinal measure and those in lean sports reporting, on average, higher scores on the behavioral measure. There was an interaction between gender and sport type (lean vs. non-lean) on eating attitudes and behaviors. Male athletes in non-lean sports had the highest overall average scores on the attitudinal portion of the EAT-26, and males in lean sports had the lowest scores. However, on the EAT-26 behavioral portion, men in lean sports reported significantly higher scores than did men in non-lean sports. Female athletes, regardless of sport type, reported similar scores on both the EAT- 26 attitudinal and behavioral sections.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that athletes, regardless of sport type and gender, may be affected by eating disorder symptomatology. Gender differences may be smaller in athletic populations than previously thought. Sport type may affect whether disordered eating symptomatology presents as attitudinal or behavioral in nature, especially in male athletes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Descriptive study, Level V.

Body Image and Disturbed Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in Sport-Involved Adolescents: The Role of Gender and Sport Characteristics

Disordered eating in adolescents who participate in sports is an issue of great concern. However, very few studies have examined the prevalence of sport-related determinants of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviours (DEABs) in sport-involved adolescents. The present study aims to assess body image and DEABs in the sample of adolescents involved in a sport of different characteristics (competitive sport, leisure sport; weight-sensitive and less-weight-sensitive sport) and to compare the results with those of the controls. A total sample of 732 adolescents (437 (59.4%) were female) participated in the study. The participants ranged in age from 16 to 19 years (mean = 17.2, SD = 0.6). Study participants completed a questionnaire assessing sports characteristics, body image, disordered eating, and health-compromising eating behaviours. Analysis of covariance was used to test the differences of major study variables between controls and weight-sensitive and less-weight-sensitive leisure and competitive sports groups. There was no significant difference observed in DEABs between the sports groups. Competitive athletes reported more satisfaction with body image than controls. The girls participating in weight-sensitive leisure sports reported higher overweight preoccupation and greater DEABs compared to those participating in less-weight-sensitive leisure sports. Boys participating in weight-sensitive leisure sports reported a greater drive for muscularity-related behaviour compared to those participating in less-weight-sensitive leisure sports. There was no observed interaction between gender and weight sensitivity in the competitive sports group. Adolescents involved in a competitive sport demonstrated greater body image satisfaction and did not seem to present a greater risk for DEABs than controls. Special prevention attempts for lowering body image concerns and DEABs should be addressed for adolescents participating in a weight-sensitive leisure sports.

Body Image Among Elite Rugby Union Players

Gibson, C, Hindle, C, McLay-Cooke, R, Slater, J, Brown, R, Smith, B, Baker, D, Healey, P, and Black, K. Body image among elite rugby union players. J Strength Cond Res 33(8): 2217-2222, 2019-There is limited information on the risk of eating disorders (EDs) and body image of elite male athletes. However, research studies suggest that there are some athletes who have poor body image and they may be at increased risk of developing EDs. Therefore, the current study investigated risk of EDs, body image, and the relationship with age, in elite rugby union players during their preseason training period. This cross-sectional study was undertaken at the start of the preseason among elite rugby union players in New Zealand. Twenty-six professional rugby union players completed a 49-item questionnaire on body image and disordered eating. A "body image score" was calculated from questionnaire subscales including "drive for thinness," "bulimia," and "body dissatisfaction," with total scores above 20 indicative of poor body image. Body image scores varied from 8 to 39 out of a possible 0-100. Disordered eating behaviors were reported, including binge eating at least once a week (15%, n = 4/26), pathogenic weight control use (4%, n = 1/26), and avoidance of certain foods (77%, n = 20/26). There was a statistically significant inverse association between the bulimia subscale and age (p = 0.034). At the start of the preseason training period, many elite rugby union players experience disturbances in body image. The prevalence of disordered eating behaviors is of concern, and needs to be minimized due to the negative impact on health and performance. A focus on assessment and education of younger male rugby players may be required to reduce disordered eating patterns.

The Association of Body Image With Anthropometric Measures and Eating Disorders Among Students From University Sports Teams

Background and aims: Body image is defined as a complex concept involving a person’s thoughts, feelings, and attitudes about his/her body. The body image dissatisfaction may expose the individuals, specifically athletes, to eating disorders (EDs). The aim of this study is to assess the association of body image score with EDs and anthropometric measures in students from university sports teams. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 225 students from sports teams of Qazvin University in 2014. The samples were selected by the census method. The Multidimensional BodySelf Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), eating attitudes test (EAT-26) questionnaire, and demographic information questionnaire were used for collecting data. Anthropometric characteristics were also measured. The data were analyzed in SPSS software version 22.0. Results: The result of the study showed that the association of body image score with age (P=0.012, OR=0.80, CI=0.179, 1.437) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) (P=0.013, OR=-52.14, CI=-93.20, -11.08) was positively significant. Although the mean body image score was lower in students with EDs, it was not statistically significant. In addition, there was not a significant association between body image score and other variables such as marital status, gender, educational level, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and hip circumference (HC) (P>0.05). Conclusion: In this study, the body image had a positive significant association with age, and a negative significant one with WHtR. This may indicate that abdominal obesity plays an important role in body image satisfaction among students from the university sports teams.

Body Image Concern and Eating Disorder Symptoms Among Elite Icelandic Athletes

The aim of this study was to analyse body image concerns and symptoms of eating disorders in elite Icelandic athletes according to their sex, and sport practiced. The participants were 755 athletes (24.8 ± 3.5 years in age) who compete at the highest possible level in Iceland. Representing 20 different sports, they were divided into five sports groups. Three questionnaires were used: the Body Shape Questionnaire to assess body image concerns; the Bulimia Test-Revised to assess the main symptoms of bulimia; and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire to identify disordered eating attitudes and behaviours. A chi-squared test was used to analyse differences in prevalence of body image concern and eating disorders, a t-test for the differences between men and women, and a one-way ANOVA to compare the different sports. The main findings were that 17.9% of the athletes presented severe or moderate body image dissatisfaction, and 18.2% (25.3% of the women) were above the clinical cutoff for body image concern. Women’s scores were higher than men’s (whole sample and ball games) in all variables except restraint. These results seem to point to the existence of a real problem that athlete, coaches, doctors, and institutions need to take into account.

Body Dissatisfaction in Collegiate Athletes: Differences Between Sex, Sport Type, and Division Level

Body dissatisfaction is associated with marked distress and often precipitates disordered eating symptomology. Literature on body dissatisfaction in athletes appears to be mixed, perhaps because athletes vary along several key characteristics related to how they experience their bodies. This study sought to investigate group differences in body dissatisfaction between sex (men vs. women), sport type (lean-promoting vs. non-lean-promoting), and division level (Division I vs. Division III). Collegiate athletes (N = 191) completed a self-report measure of body dissatisfaction, demographics, and sport characteristics. A factorial ANOVA revealed that women reported greater body dissatisfaction compared to men regardless of division level and sport type. There was an interaction between sex and sport type such that men in lean-promoting sports reported greater body dissatisfaction than men in non-lean-promoting sports. Findings suggest that some athletes participating in lean-promoting sports may be at risk of developing significant body dissatisfaction. Research on body dissatisfaction in collegiate athletes can be used to develop clinical interventions that aim to reduce body dissatisfaction and the potential of developing disordered eating and related psychopathology.

A Tale of Two Runners: A Case Report of Athletes' Experiences with Eating Disorders in College

Athletes are at higher risk than the general population for eating disorders, and risk is heightened for athletes in thin-build sports, including track. Collegiate athletes are particularly vulnerable to disordered eating when the transition from home to the college environment adds to the stress of performance pressures and the high demands of the sport environment. Male and female athletes who develop eating disorders share some common characteristics, yet their experiences can be quite different, in part as a consequence of their sex and how eating disorders develop, and are recognized, acknowledged, and treated, within the culture of sports. This case report describes the experiences of two track athletes, one male and one female, who were recruited to the same Division 1 collegiate track program. Both were elite athletes, freshmen in the same year, experiencing the same urban college environment, and experiencing an eating disorder characterized by restrictive eating, significant weight loss, injury, and compromised performance in sport. Both received treatment from a multidisciplinary team of professionals. Both athletes achieved weight restoration, recovery from the disorder, and success in their sport. In spite of the similarities, striking differences were apparent in clinical presentation, predisposing features, onset of symptoms, entry points to treatment, interventions received, and clinical courses through treatment that depict sex differences in how eating disorders present in athletes and are addressed in the sport environment. Findings endorse the need for research and inform prevention strategies, risk assessment, and intervention approaches for nutrition and sports medicine professionals and collegiate athletic departments.

Perceptions of body weight and nutritional practices among male and female National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II athletes

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated body weight and nutritional behavior perceptions among Division II collegiate athletes.

PARTICIPANTS

The sample was composed of 155 collegiate athletes who responded to a survey.

METHODS

Data were self-reported by athletes via questionnaire. Independent-sample t tests were used to identify significant gender differences related to body weight perceptions, nutritional practices, and ideal weight difference (IWD). An alpha level of .05 was used to determine statistical significance.

RESULTS

Mean ± SD female and male IWD was -6.8 ± 8.8 and 1.3 ± 12.3 lbs, respectively (p < .001). Significant differences in level of agreement regarding perceived body weight effects on performance and dietary practices existed between genders.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant gender differences may exist regarding body weight perceptions and nutritional practices among collegiate athletes. Deliverance of gender-specific educational information about proper nutritional practices is warranted. To properly tailor interventions to specific sports, research with larger sample sizes is needed.