Female Collegiate Athletes: Prevalence of Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating Behaviors

• Published in: Journal of American college health Vol. 57; no. 5; pp. 489 - 496
• Main Authors: Greenleaf, Christy, Petrie, Trent A., Carter, Jennifer, Reel, Justine J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Heldref 01.03.2009; Heldref Publications; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Athletes; athletics; Binge eating; Body Weight; College Athletics; college health; College sports; College Students; Dieting; Eating Disorders; Exercise; Feeding and Eating Disorders - epidemiology; Female; female athletes; Females; Humans; Incidence; Measures (Individuals); mental health; Prevalence; Psychometrics; Questionnaires; Racial Differences; Socioeconomic Factors; Sports; Sports - statistics & numerical data; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Universities - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0744-8481; 1940-3208
• DOI: 10.3200/JACH.57.5.489-496

Objective: The authors assessed the prevalence of pathogenic eating and weight-control behaviors among female college athletes, using a psychometrically valid measure. Participants: Participants were 204 college athletes (M age = 20.16 years, SD = 1.31 years) from 17 sports at 3 universities. On average, they participated in their sport for 10.88 years (SD = 16.68 years) and on their college team for 2.10 years (SD = 1.03 years). Methods: Participants completed a demographic and weight background questionnaire, Questionnaire for Eating Disorder Diagnoses, and the Bulimia Test-Revised. Results: The authors classified participants as eating disordered (n = 4, 2.0%), symptomatic (n = 52, 25.5%), and asymptomatic (n = 148, 72.5%). Few participants engaged in binge eating; most used exercise, as opposed to vomiting, dieting, laxatives, or diuretics, to control their weight. Conclusions: Female athletes suffer from eating disorders, and most experience symptom levels that are subclinical but problematic.