Eating Disorders and Female Athletes Essay -- Research Anorexia Nervos

Eating Disorders and female person AthletesINTRODUCTION Athletes are among the quickest, strongest, some flexible people in the world, so one would expect them to stand by to the latest health and fitness information, right? Not always. The problem is that the athletes oft believe that more fit equals less fat. The death of Olympic gymnast Christy Henrich from anorexia nervosa began to pose the topic of athletes and eating disorders to the forefront. Research into the topic of eating disorders and athletes shows a hardly a(prenominal) interesting findings. Most of the studies focus on women and specific sports, namely gymnastics, bit skating, diving, and other weight-dependent sports. Some research, however, shows prevelance findings of eating disorders in female athletes congruent with the customary population. FEMALE ATHLETE TRIAD The female athlete triad of cark eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis affects many active women, especially those in sports that emphasize appear ance or leanness. Physical signs and symptoms include unexplained recurrent or stress fracture, alter hair, low body temperature, lanugo, and fatigue (Joy, Clark, Ireland, Martire, Nattiv, and Varechok, 1997). Prevalence of the triad is hard to appreciate because data is limited to a few studies. In the United States, studies suggest, (based on limited data) a prevalence in female athletes between 15 percent and 62 percent (Dummer, Rosen, Heusner, et. al 1987 Rosen, Hough 1988 Rosen, McKeag, Hough, et. al, 1986). Women who have the triad smoke typically be characterized as cosmos a perfectionist with high goals, being very critical of her self and having very high expectations, and having fairly low self esteem (Nattiv, 1997). Most of the women with the triad ar... ...ician and Sportsmedi5, 95-109. OConnor, P., Lewis, R., Kirchner, E., & Cook, D. (1996). Eating Disorder Symptoms in precedent womanly College Gymnasta Relations With Body Composition. The American Journal of Cli nical eatable , 64, 840-846. Petri, T., & Stoever S. (1993). The Incidence of Bulimia Nervosa and Pathogenic Weight Control Behaviors in Female College Gymnasts. Research Quarterly in Exercise and Sport , 56, 245-250. Rhea, D., Jambor, E., Wiginton, K. (1996). Preventing Eating Disorders in Female Athletes. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 67, 66-70. Rosen, L., & Hough, D. (1988). Pathogenic Weight Control Behaviors in Female College Gymnasts. Physician and Sportsmedicine , 16, 141-146. Rosen, L., & McKeag, D. (1986). Pathogenic Weight Control Behaviors in Female Athletes. Physician and Sportsmedicine , 14, 79-86.