The Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Female Aesthetic Athletes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v11i1.2387Keywords:
eating disorders, aesthetic athletes, female athletesAbstract
Eating disorders, a spectrum of psychological diseases (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorders) that can cause adverse impacts on health, are prevalent in athletes. Female athletes in aesthetic sports, where the thin-ideal body figure is highly valued by judges and audiences, are at highest risk of developing eating disorders. This review paper examines current research on major risk factors, diagnosis, and interventions regarding aesthetic athletes’ abnormal eating behaviors and eating disorders. The interconnected influence of social and sport pressures, including parents & coaches’ influences, body dissatisfaction, and achievement goals have been found to be the major risk factors. Culture can also exert influence on the development of eating disorders. This paper reviews the screening tools, which primarily consist of self-reported questionnaires, used to identify eating disorders as well as education-based preventions and intervention programs. Finally, the limitations of current research in the field majorly lies in the validation of screening tools and interventions.
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