TY - JOUR

T1 - Disordered eating and eating disorders in aquatic sports

AU - Melin, Anna

AU - Torstveit, Monica Klungland

AU - Burke, Louise

AU - Marks, Saul

AU - Sundgot-Borgen, Jorunn

N1 - CURIS 2014 NEXS 088

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Disordered eating behaviour (DE) and eating disorders (EDs) are of great concern due to their associations with physical and mental health risks and, in the case of athletes, impaired performance. The syndrome originally known as the Female Athlete Triad, which focused on the interaction of energy availability, reproductive function and bone health in female athletes, has recently been expanded to recognise that Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) has a broader range of negative effects on body systems with functional impairments in both male and female athletes. Athletes in leanness-demanding sports have an increased risk for RED-S and for developing EDs/DE. Special risk factors in aquatic sports related to weight and body composition management include the wearing of skimpy and tight-fitting bathing suits, and in the case of diving and synchronized swimming, the involvement of subjective judgements of performance. The reported prevalence of DE and EDs in athletic populations including athletes from aquatic sports ranges from 18-45 % in female athletes and 0-28 % in male athletes. To prevent EDs, aquatic athletes should practice healthy eating behaviour at all periods of development pathway, with coaches and members of the athletes' health care team being able to recognize early symptoms indicating risk for energy deficiency, DE and EDs. Coaches and leaders must accept that DE/EDs can be a problem in aquatic disciplines and that openness regarding this challenge is important.

AB - Disordered eating behaviour (DE) and eating disorders (EDs) are of great concern due to their associations with physical and mental health risks and, in the case of athletes, impaired performance. The syndrome originally known as the Female Athlete Triad, which focused on the interaction of energy availability, reproductive function and bone health in female athletes, has recently been expanded to recognise that Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) has a broader range of negative effects on body systems with functional impairments in both male and female athletes. Athletes in leanness-demanding sports have an increased risk for RED-S and for developing EDs/DE. Special risk factors in aquatic sports related to weight and body composition management include the wearing of skimpy and tight-fitting bathing suits, and in the case of diving and synchronized swimming, the involvement of subjective judgements of performance. The reported prevalence of DE and EDs in athletic populations including athletes from aquatic sports ranges from 18-45 % in female athletes and 0-28 % in male athletes. To prevent EDs, aquatic athletes should practice healthy eating behaviour at all periods of development pathway, with coaches and members of the athletes' health care team being able to recognize early symptoms indicating risk for energy deficiency, DE and EDs. Coaches and leaders must accept that DE/EDs can be a problem in aquatic disciplines and that openness regarding this challenge is important.

U2 - 10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0029

DO - 10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0029

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24667155

VL - 24

SP - 450

EP - 459

JO - International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism

JF - International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism

SN - 1526-484X

IS - 4

ER -