Prevalence of eating disorders on male team sports players

Abstract

ObjectiveTo determinate the prevalence of EDs in national adult male team sports players.MethodologyAn observational study was conducted with 124 football, rugby, volleyball, handball, water polo, baseball and hockey players ranging between 18 and 55 years old. All subjects signed the informed consent before participating in the study. Data were collected via an online form including four validated questionnaires: The Eating Habits Questionnaire for Athletes, the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40), the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 and the Body Shape Questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted with the software IBM SPSS V.23.0.0.Results18.5% of the population presented a clinical profile compatible with an ED diagnosis. We cannot confidently say that the prevalence of EDs within our sample is conditioned by the analysed variables.ConclusionMale team sports players may also be a high-risk group in the development of EDs. Risk factors such as young age, semiprofessional sporting status and body fat composition could influence its development.

The association between sport type and eating/body image concerns in high school students: a cross-sectional observational study

“…The comparison between lack of involvement in any sport, practicing an individual sport, and practicing a team one, showed a clear pattern of distribution in sex-based subgroups. This topic is poorly explored in literature and allowed us to integrate different facets of the role of physical activity on mental health [ 24 – 26 ]. In the study sample, a significant overlap existed between team sports and non-leanness sports (with a higher importance of technical skills), and between individual sports and leanness sports.…”

“…Most of the available studies addressing the relationship between physical activity and ED psychopathology are based on the “leanness” vs “non-leanness” sports paradigm [ 23 ]. On the contrary, the “team” vs “individual” sports perspective is under-addressed in representative, non-clinical populations, and it has led to inconclusive or mixed results which warrant further evaluation [ 24 – 26 ]. In fact, the preference for sedentary behaviours or individual training may indirectly reflect a rise in extrinsic motivations to practice sports, a condition that has been identified as a risk factor for EDs [ 27 ], and the internalisation of appearance ideals may be tied to disordered eating, especially among boys [ 28 ].…”

Study the Effect of Relative Energy Deficiency on Physiological and Physical Variables in Professional Women Athletes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Since the publication of the IOC consensus documents [ 4 , 5 ], research on RED-S and LEA has increased, and the prevalence of LEA is of concern. Recent studies have shown that 45% of female recreational exercisers were at risk of LEA [ 20 ], while another study found a high prevalence of LEA in both male and female elite youth athletes (males, 56%; females, 51%) [ 6 , 21 ].…”