Disordered eating, exercise dependence, body dissatisfaction, and fueling practices in female CrossFit® and CrossFit®...

Disordered eating (DE) is primarily observed in endurance athletes and sports that emphasize aesthetics. However, DE prevalence, exercise dependence (EXD), body dissatisfaction, and fueling habits in resistance-trained individuals-particularly CrossFit® athletes-are not well understood. CrossFit® promotes a culture that encourages strong, athletic, and muscular bodies. Both CrossFit® and endurance athletes often strive for low body fat percentages to enhance performance, which may contribute to body dissatisfaction, EXD, and eating concerns. This cross-sectional study investigated DE prevalence and its associations with EXD risk, body dissatisfaction, and fueling habits in female CrossFit®-only (CO) versus CrossFit® plus endurance (CE) athletes.

Participants (n = 325) completed a Qualtrics survey assessing DE, EXD, body dissatisfaction, and fueling practices.

Across the sample, 37.2 % of participants were at risk for DE, and 84.6 % were classified as symptomatic for EXD. CO athletes were at a significantly greater risk (p < 0.001) for both DE and EXD compared with CE athletes. Athletes at risk for DE were significantly more likely to be symptomatic for EXD, train more days per week, report a stronger desire for muscularity, and follow specific dietary patterns to attain an ideal body.

Given the high prevalence of DE and EXD among female CrossFit® athletes, incorporating both screening tools is an important step in the initial evaluation process for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs).