Depression, decreased concentration and insomnia have been found to be effects of semi-starvation Thompson and Sherman, There is not one specific cause for the development of eating disorders or disordered eating behaviour but rather a combination of socio-cultural, familial, personality and genetic factors Thompson and Sherman, With this being known, who is in the best position to provide help and support to athletes and is there enough education within sport to teach coaches how to manage and treat athletes under their care struggling with these issues?

Studies have shown that sports coaches currently possess poor knowledge regarding eating disorders in athletes Nattiv, Loucks, Manore, Sanborn, Sundgot-Borgen and Warren, It has often been remarked within the literature that coaches are in the best position for early identification of eating disorders and disordered eating issues within their athletes due to their position and ability to observe them on a regular basis Zimmerman, Coaches often also have a special relationship with their athletes consisting of trust and friendship which may also make athletes feel more comfortable disclosing close and personal information, such as if they are struggling with disordered eating issues, to their coaches rather than to parents or a medical professional.

A study conducted by Arthur-Cameselle and Baltzell in is concerned with what could be learned from athletes who had recovered from eating disorders and gives advice to coaches, parents and other athletes regarding the subject.

They reached a very important conclusion; that there was a strong need for further education for coaches in identifying and treating athletes struggling with eating disorders and disordered eating problems. This is supported by a large amount of relevant literature such as Bratland-Sanda and Sundgot-Borgen who stated that for it to be possible for the appropriate identifications and referrals to be made, coaches required a full and working knowledge of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviour.

Received Master of Education in Counselling Psychology from the University of Alberta. Major areas of research interest include sports psychology and eating disorders. Received Doctorate in Counselling Psychology from the University of Calgary.

Major areas of research interest include health psychology and counselor education. Reprints and permissions. Stoutjesdyk, D.

Eating disorders among high performance athletes. J Youth Adolescence 22 , — Download citation. Received : 26 March Accepted : 30 October Issue Date : June Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:.

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Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine whether athletes in certain sports display a higher tendency toward eating disorders than athletes in other sports.

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Author information Authors and Affiliations Center for Child and Adolescent Development in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Dexa Stoutjesdyk Chartered psychologist Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, T6G 2G5, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Ronna Jevne Professor Authors Dexa Stoutjesdyk View author publications.

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In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine estimates 25 percent of collegiate female athletes and 20 percent of male collegiate athletes suffer from disordered eating patterns.

This is why EDCare believes there is an ever growing need for athletes, healthcare professionals, coaches and parents to understand the prevalence of eating disorders among athletes, the need for timely action, and what treatment options are available. Only when we begin to recognize and address this need for awareness can the negative stigmas athletes and performers face get broken down.

While an athlete may look health and be performing well, the combination of disordered eating patterns and heavy exercise puts them at an increased risk for medical complications and injury.

Melissa Streno , EDCare , Christina King Aspen Strong , Shane Bates , MS, RD EDCare at the Roaring Fork Mental Health Professionals Meeting in Aspen, CO. EDCare offers the most comprehensive care for athletes with eating disorders in the country. Our multidisciplinary team focuses on the athlete as a whole — treating the mind, body, and spirit.

By following our empowerment based treatment model, athletes and performers gain the necessary skills to continue participating in sports and other activities in a way that continuously supports their long-term recovery success.

If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, contact us. Members of our Elite Athlete Program are available to help you determine what steps to take.

Learn more about our Treatment Options or call today for a FREE assessment. Search for:. Toggle Navigation About Us Meet Our Team. More specifically, athletes can realize that some issues are not in their control and require positive ways of coping.

The most important aspect of sports such as dance, synchronized skating, and swimming is to move as one. Sticking out in any way can be a problem. If you make a mistake you are letting down all of your teammates. For athletes like Sophie, who competes in international events, representing her country is an additional stressor.

Although many athletes get used to competitive attire, wearing skimpy outfits is stressful for some. Involving athletes in the decision making process is also a healthy way to boost motivation and team cohesion.

With the evolution of technical elements in many sports that now include jumping and lifting, being thin can be even more important than just for aesthetics.

Being thin is thought to make the rotation and the height of jumping easier. But if you think about it, one of the consequences of having an eating disorder is to reduce the amount of energy your body stores and needs to perform.

Environmental pressures generally involve people who interact with athletes including teammates, peers, coaches, parents, parents of other athletes, judges and the audience. In many aesthetic sports scores for artistry are tied to appearance.

Much of the appearance and weigh-related pressures aesthetic sport athletes experience are from coaches. Consistent with research on female athletes, those interviewed also reported coach practices such as weigh-ins, cutting athletes based on weight, and diet restriction warnings around the holidays as stressful.

Coaching is difficult because they are being paid a lot of money to develop a winning team and they make team selection decisions accordingly.

During the season, it can be hard to focus on needs of individuals who comprise the team. It is important to point out that there are many coaches out there who realize the consequence of such negative statements and practices.

Sophie indicates that she has never had a coach make negative comments about needing to lose weight. Aesthetic sports are considered an early-entry sport where young girls often specialize in the sport as early as eight years of age. This means that in many sports, girls grow up in front of the sport community where many are quick to point out changing bodies.

A changing body is stressful, especially in the face of constant comparisons. While these growing pains are common among non-athletes, the sport environment magnifies adolescent insecurities. I thought I was huge, but I was normal-just bigger than them because I had hit puberty earlier in life.

All I knew was that when people want to lose weight, they eat less and exercise more. So I started doing that. Pretty soon, I was skipping breakfast and dinner whenever I could, and only eating an apple and yogurt for lunch.

I ran miles everyday, on top of at least two hours of practice. I also would get on a stationary bike for about an hour. I just wanted to be thin. What many people in sport communities may not realize is that individuals are all on their own pathway to their genetically pre-determined size.

Although extreme dietary restrictions and exercise can influence this pathway, growth is inevitable and severe caloric restriction leads to severe health consequences noted earlier. It is also important to keep in mind that a lot of energy can be expended while participating in a sport.

Nutritional requirements adequate for developing bodies are influenced by body type and metabolism. Physical characteristics such as height, physique and leg length are tied to the timing of puberty.

For example, the growth plates bones of early maturers close sooner than late maturers. Late maturers spend a longer time growing and thus end up being taller, leaner, with longer legs compared to their body. Growth spurts are more noticeable among early maturers who are also characteristically more muscular than late maturers.

Because muscle weights more than fat, early maturers can expect to weigh more without worrying about being fat. In addition to changing bodies, psychological characteristics such as self-perceptions and self-esteem are developing during adolescence and can be influenced by the way people react to changing bodies.

It is common for athletes to experience social physique anxiety SPA — anxiety about presenting oneself in front of others.

It is important to avoid heightening SPA because researchers have found that people with SPA have a tendency to develop eating disorders and have low self-esteem. Perceptions such as satisfaction with health, strength, endurance, physical activity as well as appearance-related issues are important building blocks of self-esteem, which can improve confidence and buffer the effects of SPA.

Confidence and mental toughness are some of the most important psychological characteristics in any sport. They result from participation and are essential for performing your best. Like positive self-perceptions, they can also protect people during stressful life events.

Eating disorders often stem from losing control over other areas of life especially during stressful situations such as applying for college or when parents are going through a divorce. Mental toughness is particularly important for coping with criticism, bad advice and overcoming disordered eating.

Not my parents wanting it for me or my doctors or my therapists. Each athlete interviewed was asked to provide three pieces of advice for athletes, parents, coaches, and sport officials.

Here is a summary of their recommendations. If you think you may have an eating disorder, deciding that you want to help yourself is the first step towards becoming healthy. Know that there are many resources out there and people who can help you.

Both Jocelyn and Sophie found working with dieticians helpful in re-learning healthy eating habits. You can learn more by going to the following websites:. This article was adapted from Monsma, E. Disordered eating and the controlling aspect of synchronized skating. Synchronized Skating Magazine , Issue 2.

Association for Applied Sport Psychology Keystone Crossing, Suite Indianapolis , IN USA. Phone: Fax: Email: info appliedsportpsych. Publications Journal of Applied Sport Psychology Journal of Sport Psychology in Action Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology Journal for Advancing Sport Psychology in Research Essential Guide for Mental Performance Consultants Directory of Graduate Programs in Applied Sport Psychology Newsletter.

Webinars Knowledge Areas Required CE Areas Disrupting Borders: Considering Transnational Migration, Cultural Transition, and Intersectional Identities in the Delivery of Performance and Well-Being Support Services for International Athletes. Awards Dissertation Award Distinguished Applied Practitioner Award Distinguished International Scientist-Practitioner Award Distinguished Scientist-Practitioner Award Distinguished Public Communication, Awareness, and Outreach Award Dorothy V.

Harris Memorial Award Early Career Applied Practitioner Award Inclusion, Diversity, and Excellence in Advocacy and Social Justice IDEAS Student Award Kate F. Hays Distinguished Mentor Award Ken Ravizza Performance Excellence Award Master's Thesis Award Outstanding Student Practice Award Teaching Excellence Award AASP Past Award Recipients.

Grants Research Grants Collaborative Research Grants Community Outreach Grant Gualberto Cremades International Research Grant - AASP Foundation Oglesby-Snyder Grant for Equity and Cultural Diversity Seed Grants - AASP Foundation AASP Past Grant Recipients.

Students Center Initiatives Video Resources Student Delegates Regional Conferences Student Awards Undergraduate Programs in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology Graduate Training.

AASP Foundation Foundation Honor Roll Donation Form Research Crowdfunding. Member s Area. Disordered Eating and the Controlling Aspects of Aesthetic Sports Eva V.

Monsma, Ph. D University of South Carolina Although there are several benefits to sport participation, achievement and performance pressures can be highly stressful especially in aesthetic activities such as gymnastics, diving, cheerleading and dance.

What are eating disorders?

Webinars Knowledge Areas Required CE Areas Disrupting Borders: Considering Transnational Migration, Cultural Transition, and Intersectional Identities in the Delivery of Performance and Well-Being Support Services for International Athletes. Awards Dissertation Award Distinguished Applied Practitioner Award Distinguished International Scientist-Practitioner Award Distinguished Scientist-Practitioner Award Distinguished Public Communication, Awareness, and Outreach Award Dorothy V.

Harris Memorial Award Early Career Applied Practitioner Award Inclusion, Diversity, and Excellence in Advocacy and Social Justice IDEAS Student Award Kate F.

Hays Distinguished Mentor Award Ken Ravizza Performance Excellence Award Master's Thesis Award Outstanding Student Practice Award Teaching Excellence Award AASP Past Award Recipients.

Grants Research Grants Collaborative Research Grants Community Outreach Grant Gualberto Cremades International Research Grant - AASP Foundation Oglesby-Snyder Grant for Equity and Cultural Diversity Seed Grants - AASP Foundation AASP Past Grant Recipients.

Students Center Initiatives Video Resources Student Delegates Regional Conferences Student Awards Undergraduate Programs in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology Graduate Training.

AASP Foundation Foundation Honor Roll Donation Form Research Crowdfunding. Member s Area. Eating Disorders Mission The AASP Eating Disorder ED SIG is dedicated to improving prevention and awareness of Feeding and Eating Disorder risk among athletes.

Get Involved If you are interested in joining the Eating Disorders Special Interest Group ED SIG or learning more about the group, contact the SIG Coordinators identified on the SIG homepage. Find a CMPC ®.

Contact the Certification Council. Make sure young athletes are participating on teams that model a positive, supportive culture. Coaches and sports organizations should be informed and know how to spot the warning signs of eating disorder development, such as:.

The signs of eating disorders in an athletic environment can be tough to spot, but there are tools and techniques available to help. Eating disorders are serious mental health concerns with the potential for significant physical consequences.

If you suspect that you, your child, or a loved one is struggling, seek professional help as soon as possible. Therapy can happen in individual, group, or family settings, both inpatient and out. Athletes who struggle with eating disorders can benefit from therapy with a qualified clinical sport psychologist.

Start the conversation today. Why Are Eating Disorders Common in Sports? The primary eating disorders are: Anorexia nervosa , characterized by distorted body image and food restriction; Bulimia , characterized by episodes of binge eating, shame, and subsequent purging through self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives; and Binge Eating Disorder , also characterized by episodes of overeating and intense shame.

Which Athletes Are Most at Risk of Eating Disorders? Protecting Young Athletes From Eating Disorders As a parent, you can help your young athlete deal with pressures and avoid eating disorders by modeling love and support, regardless of appearance or athletic performance!

Get Help From a Clinical Sport Psychologist Eating disorders are serious mental health concerns with the potential for significant physical consequences. Share This Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email. Sharon Chirban.

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