Gymnast, dancers, and figure skaters are among the athletes that have a high occurrence of eating disorders because their sport is focused on appearance. Due to the emphasis on leanness, other athletes that have a high occurrence of eating disorders are runners, wrestlers, and swimmers. Although eating disorders are more common in female athletes (gymnasts, divers, swimmers) they also occur in male athletes (wrestlers, jockeys, dancers).

Disordered eating can lead to a poor performance because the athlete does not receive the right amount of vitamins and nutrition that the body requires. When the body does not receive enough food to provide the necessary energy, performance drops. Family and friends close to athletes who suffer from eating disorders either do not recognize the signs of anorexia and bulimia or they do not believe that their friend or family member would be self-abusive.

There are many types of eating disorders, the two most common are anorexia, (starving one's self) and bulimia (over eating then vomiting/purging). Some other types of unhealthy weight loss practices are excessive exercise and crash diets; one can also abuse laxatives to avoid gaining weight. The excessive weight loss can lead to an unhealthy person.

Some health complications from anorexia are as follows:

1. Malnutrition- The body does not receive adequate food for energy and growth.
2. Amenorrhea- Interruption of the menstrual cycle in females.
3. Osteoporosis- A decrease of bone mass.
4. Sleep disorders- A significant increase or decrease in the amount of sleep.

Some health complications of bulimia include:

1. Laceration of the oral cavity- Injury due to self-induced vomiting.
2. Esophageal inflammation- The acid from self-induced vomiting irritates the esophagus.
3. Esophageal tears and ruptures- The force from the vomiting may cause the tears in the esophagus.
4. Dental erosion- The acid from self-induced vomiting erodes the dental enelema.
5. Cardiac arrest
6. Dehydration

Signs and symptoms of anorexia are as follows:

1. Excessive weight loss
2. Always thinking about food, calories, and body weight
3. Wearing layered clothing
4. Mood swings
5. Avoiding activities that involve food

Signs and symptoms of bulimia include:

1. Excessive weight loss or gain
2. Being overly concerned with one's weight
3. Visiting the bathroom after meals
4. Depression
5. Excessive dieting, followed by binge eating
6. Always criticizing one's body

How can athletes that show signs of an eating disorder be helped?

1. Be persistent about the athlete's health. For example, point out that the athlete has had an illness for a month and it has not gone away, or that an injury has not healed in a timely matter.
2. Be supportive and listen to the athlete if he/she wants to talk about the problem. Do not be judgmental.
3. Give athletes the names of people and/or places where professional help is available.

Eating disorders can be deadly if not treated. At the very least eating disorders can be unhealthy and can hurt an athlete's performance. To help someone who has an eating disorder contact one or more of the organizations listed below:

American Anorexia/Bulimia Association, Inc. (Offers written materials, referrals)
293 Central Park West, Suite 1R
New York, NY 10024
212-501-8351

American Dietetic Association, National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics (Referral services for sports nutritionists with handling eating disorders)
216 West Jackson Blvd, Suite 800
Chicago, IL 60609-6995
800-366-1655

National Anorexia Aid Society (Focuses on prevention, written material)
1925 East Dublin Granville Rd
Columbus, OH 43229
614-436-1112

References:

Clark, N. (1997). Nancy Clark's sports nutrition guidebook. Mass: Brookline.

Coleman, E., & Steen, S. (1996). The ultimate sports nutrition handbook. California: Bull Publishing Co.

Ruud, J. (1996). Nutrition and the female athlete. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

06/01/99