Eating Disorders in Athletes: Gender Prevalence, Risk Sports, and Recovery

Prevalence: Disordered eating in up to 50% of female athletes; clinical eating disorders <5%. Males: 10–25% of cases; more binge/purge subtype.

High-Risk Sports

• Females: Gymnastics, figure skating, dance, swimming, diving, distance running (appearance/leanness emphasis).
• Males: Wrestling, bodybuilding, lightweight rowing (weight-class pressure).

Contributing Factors

• Performance pressure for specific body composition
• Coach emphasis on weight over nutrition
• Perfectionism, body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem
• Trauma history, depression, anxiety

Red Flags

• Severe dietary restriction, compulsive exercise
• Preoccupation with calories/weight, distorted body image
• "Not thin enough" despite weight loss
• Fear of weight gain, fatigue, arrhythmia, frequent illness
• Depression, anxiety, social withdrawal

Recovery

Challenging due to sport identity, but full physical recovery and return to sport are possible with specialized multidisciplinary care (sports med, nutrition, psychology).