Eating disorders in Spanish female athletes

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental health conditions with significant physical and psychological consequences.
• Female athletes may be at increased risk due to sport-specific pressures related to weight, body composition, and appearance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of eating disorders among elite female athletes.
• To identify risk factors associated with the development of eating disorders in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 283 elite female athletes across 20 sports.
• Administration of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), Eating Disorders Assessment Questionnaire (CETCA), and inventories assessing public body exposure and coach pressure.
• Comparison of prevalence rates with the general female population in Spain.

Main Results:

• The overall prevalence of eating disorders in athletes was 22.6%, five times higher than the general population (4.1%).
• Putative diagnoses included anorexia nervosa (AN) in 2.5% and bulimia nervosa (BN) in 20.1% of athletes.
• Public exposure of the body was a general risk factor for EDs, while coach pressure was specifically linked to bulimia nervosa.

Conclusions:

• Elite female athletes exhibit a significantly higher prevalence of eating disorders.
• Public body exposure and coach pressure are critical risk factors contributing to ED development in female athletes.
• Targeted interventions addressing these risk factors are crucial for prevention and early detection in athletic populations.