Are female atheletes more at risk of eating disorders?
It appears that female athletes in aesthetic sports — gymnastics, diving, cheerleading, figure skating, dancing — are at greater risk of developing an eating disorder. Afterall, they are in a sport that is about body image.
Their personalities also put them in a higher risk category. Driven, focused, and people pleasers are typical profiles. Those obsessions can go far beyond the sports arena and may invade their lifestyle habits. The desire to excel can push them to take measures such as excessive exercising and weight loss to achieve the thin body shape that they think can help them get better scores.
Colleges with athletic departments reported that they see an increasing problem. And it is a problem that they have no clear idea what to do.
No one knows for sure why some female athletes cross from dieting and excessive exercise to cases of diagnosable eating disorders. It is believed however that a combination of genetic, social and environmental factors contribute to the eventual development of an eating disorder.
Tags: Eating Disorders