Eating Disorders
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Eating Disorders
Research shows that athletes are at
greater risk of developing disordered eating or eating disorders than non-athletes of
similar age are. Both males and females can develop eating disorders.
Several reasons for this are identified, but a common element is believed to be pressure to be leaner or lighter to excel at the particular sport. Health professionals, coaches, and parents have important roles in the prevention, identification, and management of disordered eating and eating disorders in athletes. Disordered eating behaviours range from mild to life-threatening. Bulimia and anorexia are the most common eating disorders.
Contributing Factors
- Early onset of puberty
- Participation in judged, weight-classified, and endurance sports
- Psychological stresses and excessive physical demands of training and competitions
- Striving for unrealistic body composition standards
- Perceived pressure to lose weight (from society, coaches, family, friends, ...)
- Perfectionists ("Type A" personality)
- Personality prone to depression, unnecessary worrying, and "all or nothing" attitudes
- History of troubled personal or family relationships
- Feeling confused about sexuality or feeling unable to communicate feelings and truth
- Traumatic social event(s) causing the athlete to feel out of control (such as starting at a new school, parents divorcing, moving).
Warning Signs
- Striking weight loss or weight gain; significant fluctuations in body weight
- Preoccupation with food, calories, body weight
- Criticizing personal body weight
- Changes in the athlete's usual eating behaviours (such as suddenly to declare to be vegetarian)
- Use of diet pills and/or laxatives
- Going to the bathroom frequently after meals; bloodshot eyes; smell of vomit after bathroom visits
- Obsessive physical exercise beyond the training program
- Wearing layers of loose-fitting clothing
- Avoiding social activities with teammates
- Excusing self from food-related activities (such as skipping "team" meals)
- Mood swings; depression; low self-esteem
- Irregular or absence of menstrual cycles; stress fractures; overuse injuries; sleeping problems
- Reduced and/or inconsistent performances in training and/or competition (decrease in strength, power, endurance, and/or recovery)
For more information on disordered eating in athletes, go to some valuable resources:
- www.bodysense.ca – a disordered eating prevention program for athletes, parents, and coaches
- www.nedic.ca – Canada's National Eating Disorder Information Centre
Prevention is not always possible...
Coaches may not be able to prevent all eating disorders among the athletes they work with, but coaches are powerful role models and have strong influence on their athletes.
You may recognize early warning signs and symptoms associated with eating disorders in your friends or teammates. If you suspect that a friend may be suffering from disordered eating or from an eating disorder, you should tell your parent, coach, or teacher. That the athlete seeks or is provided with medical, psychological, and nutritional intervention is very important.
You may recognize early warning signs and symptoms associated with eating disorders in your friends or teammates. If you suspect that a friend may be suffering from disordered eating or from an eating disorder, you should tell your parent, coach, or teacher. That the athlete seeks or is provided with medical, psychological, and nutritional intervention is very important.