Female athlete experiences of seeking and receiving treatment for an eating disorder
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Updated: Mar 9, 2026

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Carolyn R Plateau1, Jon Arcelus2,3, Newman Leung1,4
1a National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK.
Abstract:
Clinical eating disorders are common among athletes; however research has yet to explore the process of seeking and receiving treatment for an eating disorder in this population. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 female athletes currently receiving treatment for an eating disorder. A total of three themes emerged: challenges to treatment seeking, feeling out of place, and coping with exercise transitions. Athletes reported low levels of eating disorder literacy and lacked motivation to engage with therapy due to a lack of perceived relevance. Athletes found it challenging to relinquish exercise behaviours in treatment and expressed concerns around managing a return to sport. It may be necessary to provide additional support to athletes when embarking on and leaving treatment programs, particularly with regards to managing expectations about exercise.
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