Menstrual function and eating behavior in female recreational weight lifters and competitive body builders

Walberg, Janet L.; Johnston, C. S.

doi:10.1249/00005768-199101000-00006

Cited by 55 publications

(37 citation statements)

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“…Similar results have been reported by researchers examining the incidence of abnormal dieting practices within sports requiring extremely low body weights, such as ballet, figure skating, and bodybuilding (12,36,64,73,74,84,97) (see Table 4). …”

Section: Affitudes Body Image and Energy Intakesupporting

confidence: 86%

“…A number of studies have noted, although not specifically measured, the incidence of subclinical cases of eating disorders in athletes (78,84,97,98). In general, individuals suffering from subclinical eating disorders do not meet the strict diagnostic criteria for anorexia or bulimia nervosa but, nevertheless, present serious eating problems and body weight concerns (19,38,67).…”

Section: Criteria For Subclinical Eating Disordersmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Prevalence and Consequences of Subclinical Eating Disorders in Female Athletes

Beals¹,

Manore²

1994

International Journal of Sport Nutrition

120

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A growing body of evidence suggests that the prevalence of eating disorders and excessive concerns regarding body weight in certain subpopulations of female athletes are increasing. The pressure on female athletes to improve their performances and physiques, coupled with the general sociocultural demand placed on all women to be thin, often results in attempts to achieve unrealistic body size and body weight goals. For some female athletes the pressure to achieve and maintain a low body weight leads to potentially harmful patterns of restrictive eating or chronic dieting. This paper seeks to further delineate the characteristics of a recently identified subclinical eating disorder in female athletes: anorexia athletica. Research studies that support the existence of subclinical eating disorders will be reviewed. In addition, the possible physiological and psychological consequences of subclinical eating disorders will be explored.Key Words: anorexia athletica, dieting, body image, energy intake, energy expenditure, exercise performance For millions of women dieting has become a way of life. It is estimated that currently 40% of all American women are trying to lose weight (49). This national obsession for weight loss is fueled primarily by the intemperate value that society places on physical perfection and the subsequent unrelenting pressures on women to achieve the archetype of perfection, a thin physique (69). Indeed, over the last three decades there has been a marked trend toward an increasingly, almost unrealistically, thin ideal of women's beauty (70). Consequently, pressure is put on young women to restrict their food intake-to diet-to achieve this consummate thinness. Unfortunately, studies indicate that most attempts at longterm weight loss fail (14,50,55,95,96). Efforts to achieve and maintain an excessively thin body shape are often futile because body weight and shape are strongly influenced by biological and physiological variables that predestine women to be heavier than the current sociocultural ideal (9,82

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Section: Affitudes Body Image and Energy Intakesupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Criteria For Subclinical Eating Disordersmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Prevalence and Consequences of Subclinical Eating Disorders in Female Athletes

Beals¹,

Manore²

1994

International Journal of Sport Nutrition

120

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…4 Such similarities have also been documented between females pursuing hyper-muscularity and females with anorexia nervosa. 31,32 An important component of symptomatic overlap between muscle dysmorphia and anorexia nervosa is disordered eating given that the removal of muscle dysmorphia from the eating disorder categorization was partly based on the assumption that eating pathology was only a secondary feature of the disorder.…”

Section: 26mentioning

confidence: 99%

Muscle dysmorphia and the DSM‐V conundrum: Where does it belong? A review paper

Murray

Rieger

Touyz

et al. 2010

Intl J Eating Disorders

171

117

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Objective: Muscle dysmorphia is a relatively recently identified psychological condition that, since its inception, has been variously conceptualized as an eating disorder and subsequently as a type of body dysmorphic disorder within the somatoform disorders. This review aims to inform and encourage ongoing debate surrounding the diagnostic placement of this disorder.Method: We present a review and synthesis of the extant literature with a view to informing future decisions regarding the conceptualization of muscle dysmorphia.Results: The validity of muscle dysmorphia as a clinical entity has been empirically demonstrated. While the condition bears little semblance to somatization as currently conceptualized, the research suggests a strong conceptual similarity with anorexia nervosa. However, future research needs to utilize more appropriate measures of male eating disorder pathology. Muscle dysmorphia is also inclusive of obsessive compulsive features that are typical to those seen in eating disorder presentations.Discussion: We suggest that muscle dysmorphia be reanalyzed through the lens of an eating disorder spectrum. Recognition of muscle dysmorphia as an eating disorder may offer more clinical utility in recognizing the male experience of eating disorder pathology and also help reduce the number of current male cases falling into the EDNOS category. V V C 2010 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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“…Different studies have been performed in order to evaluate the prevalence of eating disorders among males, especially athletes, and some authors described a new clinical feature, firstly known as 'reverse anorexia' [27] and recently renamed 'muscle dysmorphia' [28,29], which is thought to affect about 8-9% of male body builders and weight lifters. Its main feature is an altered body size perception that leads to an underestimation of muscles and whole body development [29][30][31]. These subjects, performing a highly competitive sport and in need of a firm control upon their body weight and shape, often undergo physical hyperactivity, unbalanced diets and use anabolic drugs [32][33][34][35].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eating Disorders and Body Image Disturbances among Ballet Dancers, Gymnasium Users and Body Builders

Ravaldi¹,

Vannacci²,

Zucchi³

et al. 2003

Psychopathology

141

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Background: Eating disorders are frequent among elite performers of certain sports or physical activities; however, little is known about non-professional performers. Method: 113 female non-elite ballet dancers, 54 female gymnasium users, 44 male non-competitive body builders, 105 female controls and 30 male controls were evaluated using the Body Uneasiness Test, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Eating Disorder Examination 12th edition (EDE-12). Results: Non-elite ballet dancers reported the highest prevalence of eating disorders (anorexia nervosa 1.8%; bulimia nervosa 2.7%; eating disorders not otherwise specified 22.1%), followed by gymnasium users (anorexia nervosa 2.6%; eating disorders not otherwise specified 18%). Significant differences (p < 0.01) between athletes and their controls were found in the following parameters (median values): Beck Depression Inventory (female dancers 5.7, gymnasium users 6.1, female controls 2.8, body builders 1.6, and male controls 1.3), Body Uneasiness Test (female dancers 1.08, gymnasium users 0.62, female controls 0.54, body builders 0.35, and male controls 0.27), EDE total scores (female dancers 1.6, gymnasium users 1.7, female controls 1.0, body builders 1.0, and male controls 0.4), EDE – restraint subscale scores (female dancers 0.8, gymnasium users 1.6, female controls 0.0, body builders 0.8, and male controls 0.0), EDE – eating concern subscale scores (female dancers 0.4, gymnasium users 0.2, female controls 0.0, body builders 0.0, and male controls 0.0), EDE – weight concern subscale scores (female dancers 2.1, gymnasium users 2.1, female controls 1.6, body builders 1.4, and male controls 0.5), and EDE – shape concern subscale scores (female dancers 2.7, gymnasium users 2.8, female controls 2.0, body builders 2.1, and male controls 0.9). EDE scores were highly related to Body Uneasiness Test scores, especially in non-elite ballet dancers and in non-competitive body builders (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Non-professional performers of sports emphasising thinness or muscularity, such as ballet and body-building, show a high degree of body uneasiness and inappropriate eating attitudes and behaviours.

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Menstrual function and eating behavior in female recreational weight lifters and competitive body builders

Cited by 55 publications

References 0 publications

The Prevalence and Consequences of Subclinical Eating Disorders in Female Athletes

The Prevalence and Consequences of Subclinical Eating Disorders in Female Athletes

Muscle dysmorphia and the DSM‐V conundrum: Where does it belong? A review paper

Eating Disorders and Body Image Disturbances among Ballet Dancers, Gymnasium Users and Body Builders

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