Dieting to win or to be thin? A study of dieting and disordered eating among adolescent elite athletes and non-athlete controls

Abstract

Word count: 3295. Abstract max 266 1 ABSTRACT Objective: To examine prevalence of dieting, reasons for dieting and prevalence of disordered eating among adolescent elite athletes and age-matched controls, and to examine differences between athletes competing in leanness and non-leanness sports. Methods: First year students of 16 different Norwegian Elite Sport High Schools (athlete group, n = 682) and two randomly selected ordinary high schools from a county representative of the general Norwegian population (control group, n = 423) were invited to participate in this cross sectional study. A total of 606 athletes and 355 controls completed the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 89% and 84%, respectively. The questionnaire contained questions regarding training patterns, menstrual status and history, dieting, use of pathogenic weight control methods and the drive for thinness (DT) and body dissatisfaction (BD) subscales from the Eating Disorders Inventory. Main outcome measure: Disordered eating, defined as meeting one or more of the following criteria: DT score ≥15 (girls) and ≥10 (boys), BD score ≥14 (girls) and ≥10 (boys), BMI <17,9 kg/m 2 (girls) and <17,5 kg/m 2 (boys), current and/or ≥3 previous efforts to lose weight, use of pathogenic weight control methods, and self-reported menstrual dysfunction. Results: A higher prevalence of control subjects were dieting and classified with disordered eating compared to the athletes. An improvement of appearance was a more common reason for dieting among controls compared with athletes. No differences in dieting or disordered eating were found between leanness and non-leanness sports athletes. Conclusions: Self-reported disordered eating is more prevalent among controls than adolescent elite athletes and loosing weight to enhance performance is an important reason for dieting among adolescent elite athletes.2

Athlete learning in Olympic sport

“…On the other hand, the logic of high-performance sport, as well as the characteristics of sporting cultures, coachathlete relationships and coaching practices, have been found to be detrimental to athletes' social development, and wellbeing. In particular, athletic participation has been linked to narrow athletic identities (Curry, 1993;Jones, Glintmeyer, & McKenzie, 2005), self-health risk behaviour (Martinsen, Bratland-Sanda, Eriksson, & Sundgot-Borgen, 2010;Waldron & Krane, 2005) and distorted self-image (Barker-Ruchti & Schubring, in press;Douglas & Carless, 2009;McMahon & Penney, 2012. While these effects may differ in severity, none are desirable, and conflict with sport organisations' goals to develop healthy, independent and generally well-rounded citizens (see for instance policies by IOC, WADA and national sports bodies).…”

Low energy availability in exercising men is associated with reduced leptin and insulin but not with changes in other metabolic hormones

“…These health effects have been reported primarily in exercising women and have been captured under the term female athlete triad (De Souza et al, 2014;Nattiv et al, 2007). However, observational studies suggest that male athletes, particularly those competing in sports that emphasize leanness or a low body weight, demonstrate an increased propensity for disordered eating (Martinsen, Bratland-Sanda, Eriksson, & Sundgot-Borgen, 2010;Rosendahl, Bormann, Aschenbrenner, Aschenbrenner, & Strauss, 2009) and that reproductive function and bone health may also be impaired in exercising men at risk of chronic energy deficiency (Campion et al, 2010;De Souza, Arce, Pescatello, Scherzer, & Luciano, 1994;Dolan et al, 2012;Hagmar, Berglund, Brismar, & Hirschberg, 2013).…”

The Female Athlete Triad: A Metabolic Phenomenon

“…As a result, 5-9 times as many women as men in the three lowest deciles of BMI are actively trying to lose weight (Wardle et al, 2006). Indeed, more young female athletes report improvement of appearance than improvement of performance as a reason for dieting (Martinsen, Bratland-Sanda, Eriksson, & Sundgot-Borgen, 2010). This means that social issues may need to be addressed before female athletes will reform their diet and exercise behavior to increase energy availability.…”