How Common Are Eating Disorders in Athletes?

The world of sports is often associated with health, discipline, and peak physical performance. However, beneath the surface, athletes are not immune to eating disorders. 

In this blog, we’ll explore the surprising answer to how common eating disorders are in athletes, examine the reasons behind their vulnerability, and discuss the importance of preventive measures.

How Common Are Eating Disorders in Athletes: The Statistics

To comprehend the extent of eating disorders in athletes, let’s turn to the numbers. According to a comprehensive study, 13.5% of athletes experience some form of eating disorder. 

Notably, the gender breakdown reveals a stark contrast, with a significantly higher prevalence among female athletes at 20.1%, compared to their male counterparts at 7.7%.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, anorexia nervosa occurs in approximately 0.5% of the general population, but its prevalence among athletes can be substantially higher, depending on the sport and its associated pressures. 

Similarly, bulimia nervosa affects around 1-2% of the general population; this disorder may be more prevalent in the athletic community due to the emphasis on weight control and body image.

Reasons Athletes Are Prone to Eating Disorders

Several factors contribute to the vulnerability of athletes to eating disorders:

Performance Pressure: Athletes often face intense pressure to achieve and maintain specific body weights or compositions to excel in sports, leading to unhealthy dieting habits.

Sport-Specific Aesthetics: Certain sports place a premium on specific body shapes or sizes, inadvertently fostering disordered eating behaviors among athletes striving to meet these standards.

Weight-Class Sports: Athletes in sports with weight classifications, such as wrestling or boxing, may resort to extreme measures to meet weight requirements, including severe calorie restriction and excessive exercise.

Psychological Stressors: The stress associated with competition, training, and performance expectations contribute to the development of eating disorders, particularly in those predisposed to such conditions.

Sports Prone to Eating Disorders

Certain sports have been associated with a higher risk of eating disorders due to specific demands and pressures. 

In female athletes, sports that prioritize a particular body type or aesthetic may contribute to an increased risk of disordered eating. This includes sports such as: 

• Gymnastics
• Figure skating
• Dance
• Cross Country or Track

Endurance sports like long-distance running can also pressure female athletes to maintain lower body weights for enhanced performance. 

For male athletes, sports that involve weight-class competitions and aesthetic sports are often linked to a higher prevalence of disordered eating.

These include sports such as:

• Wrestling
• Bodybuilding 
• Swimming
• Martial arts 
• Cycling

It’s important to know that susceptibility to eating disorders is multifaceted, influenced by individual factors, genetics, and environmental dynamics, and athletes in any sport can face these challenges. 

What Are The Most Common Eating Disorders in Athletes?

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder brought on by an intense fear of gaining weight, resulting in restrictive eating and extreme efforts to maintain a low body weight. 

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa involves recurrent episodes of binge eating excessive amounts of food, followed by behaviors that compensate, such as vomiting, excessive exercise, or fasting to prevent weight gain. 

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is characterized by repeatedly consuming unusually large amounts of food in a short period; many feel a lack of control during the binge and end up feeling uncomfortably full.

Athletes, like anyone else, may experience BED, and factors such as stress, consequences of extreme dieting, body image concerns, or emotional coping mechanisms can contribute to its development.

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)

While RED-S is technically not an eating disorder, it is a syndrome that comes from not eating properly. RED-S is diagnosed as an insufficient energy intake relative to the energy expenditure required for training and normal physiological functions. 

Basically, this means athletes are burning more fuel than they are putting in. 

The difference is that this may not be intentional, as is with eating disorders. Many athletes may not even be aware they are not eating enough. RED-S, however, can lead to eating disorders and disruptions in various bodily systems, including the reproductive, cardiovascular, and skeletal systems.

To avoid this, working with a sports dietitian from the beginning can help you keep track of your calorie intake to be sure it’s not less than what you are burning.

Female Athlete Triad

The Female Athlete Triad, a term that preceded REDs, is a medical term that describes a combination of three interconnected health issues that some female athletes may face. These three components are:

1. Disordered Eating: This refers to unhealthy eating habits, which could involve not eating enough to meet the body’s needs, skipping meals, or constantly worrying about food and weight.
2. Menstrual Dysfunction: It involves irregular or absent menstrual periods. When the body doesn’t get enough energy from food, it might disrupt the normal menstrual cycle.
3. Decreased Bone Density: This is when the bones become weaker and more prone to fractures. Inadequate nutrition and hormonal changes from disordered eating and menstrual dysfunction can contribute to lower bone density.

The Female Athlete Triad is commonly seen in sports emphasizing a specific body size or weight, such as gymnastics or distance running. 

It’s important to address these issues because they can have long-term consequences for a woman’s overall health, including the risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis. Seeking help from healthcare professionals, including doctors and nutritionists, is crucial to prevent and treat the Female Athlete Triad.

Understanding these eating disorders is crucial for athletes, coaches, and healthcare professionals to identify signs and symptoms early on. 

Signs and Symptoms of Eating Disorders

Being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder in athletes is crucial for early intervention and support. While these signs may vary among individuals, here’s a list of common indicators to look for:

• Weight Fluctuations: Unexplained and significant changes in weight, either rapid weight loss or sudden weight gain.

• Obsession with Food, Dieting, or Body Image: Constant preoccupation with food, calories, dieting, or dissatisfaction with body shape or size.

• Changes in Eating Habits: Noticeable alterations in eating patterns, such as avoiding meals, eating alone, or consuming very small portions.

• Excessive Exercise: Engaging in excessive exercise beyond the normal training regimen, even without rest days.

• Social Withdrawal: Withdrawal from social activities, especially those involving food, due to fear or anxiety related to eating.
• Physical Symptoms: Physical signs like fatigue, dizziness, mood swings, weakness, and feeling cold, which may indicate malnutrition.

• Frequent Bathroom Visits After Meals: Signs of purging behaviors include self-induced vomiting or using laxatives or diuretics.

• Denial of the Problem: An athlete may deny or downplay concerns about their eating habits, weight loss, or physical well-being.

• Appearance of Fine Hair on Body: The growth of soft, fine, white hair, called lanugo, on the body as a response to malnutrition and the body’s attempt to conserve heat.

• Frequent Illness or Injuries: A weakened immune system can increase susceptibility to illness or injuries due to nutritional deficiencies.

 If you notice these signs in an athlete, it’s crucial to approach the situation with sensitivity and encourage them to seek support from healthcare professionals, including physicians, dietitians, and mental health experts. 

Early intervention is critical to addressing eating disorders and promoting overall well-being.

Preventing Eating Disorders in Athletes

Prevention is the cornerstone of addressing eating disorders in the athletic community. Consider the following tips:

Education and Awareness: Increase awareness about the risks of eating disorders in sports, emphasizing a holistic approach to nutrition and performance.

Supportive Environment: Foster a positive team culture encouraging healthy eating habits and body image.

Regular Monitoring: Coaches, trainers, and healthcare professionals should routinely monitor athletes for signs of disordered eating and provide necessary support.

Nutritional Guidance: Collaborate with sports dietitians to develop personalized meal plans that align with individual training needs, ensuring athletes receive adequate nutrition to fuel their bodies.

How Common Are Eating Disorders in Athletes?

The prevalence of eating disorders among athletes is a concerning reality that demands attention and action. 

Understanding how common eating disorders are in athletes, the reasons behind vulnerability, and the specific challenges faced by athletes in certain sports is crucial.

It involves more than just addressing food habits; it requires genuine care, empathy, and professional knowledge. That’s where I can help.

As a body-positive facilitator, I understand that eating disorders are complex and go beyond what’s on your plate. 

I work one-on-one with athletes struggling with eating disorders. 

If you’re an athlete seeking personalized nutritional guidance, including those related to eating disorders, I encourage you to learn more about my services here. 

Together, we will work towards promoting a healthy relationship with food and ensuring your overall well-being.