Eating Disorders and Relationship to Athletes

The aspect of restricted energy intake by athletes leading to undesirable bodily outcomes is known as Anorexia nervosa (Intermountain Healthcare, 2013). On the other side, compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting and binge-eating episodes to limit weight gain culminate in Bulimia (Intermountain Healthcare, 2013). The sports culture emphasizes on specific body shapes since they are deemed most suitable for optimal performance, and this plays out as a contributing factor in developing anorexia. Further, athletes exercise heavily and their bodies may consume more energy than the amount supplied by the food they take, which depletes their bodies to low Caroline levels. Coaches push athletes to perform beyond their capabilities without much concern for their health. This reinforces too much exercise at the expense of food intake, suppression of appetite and a heightened need to lose weight (McLean & Byrne, 2011).

This is further exacerbated by the fact that teammates, judges, and coaches tend to emphasize on a lean body. Further, some elite athletes or those who have been training since childhood are also at a higher risk of developing eating disorders since they value the sporting activity more than the diet they take, exposing them to the risk of exercising beyond their body capabilities. This is because participating in sports enlists athletes in a culture that recognizes specific body shape, social focus, and obsession to conform to some physical requirements and not others; thus, triggering disordered eating behaviors. Some sports such as figure skating, gymnastics, running and dancing focus on the individual achievement as opposed to soccer and basketball that reiterate team achievement.

Coaches and sports organizations have a critical role in dealing with eating disorders. They should adopt preventive, screening and support measures that help the athletes to employ a multifaceted approach to their health. Prevalence of eating disorders The social conditions contribute immensely to the general rate of eating disorders. Statistics indicate that athletes from developing countries are less likely to register cases of eating disorders compared to their counterparts in developed nations. The problem is also more pronounced in females than in men as the female athlete comprises of 90 % of all reported cases, slightly (Smink, Van Hoeken, & Hoek, 2012). Athletes careers and support networks are highly dependent on their performance, and as such, anything that affects their health and performance puts their careers at stake.

The American Psychiatric Association DSM-V asserts that eating disorders are a leading cause of mortality rates. Women suffering from Anorexia nervosa are at a higher of committing suicide. Deaths stemming from anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in females stand at 20% and 23% respectively (Arcelus, Mitchell, & Nielsen, 2011). In male athletes, instances of low bone mineral density, low energy levels and shortcomings associated with gonadal steroid are on the rise. The foodstuffs available in training campaigns should be adequate in meeting all nutritional and dietary requirements for athletes while putting into consideration special needs for every single athlete. The aspect of weighing athletes in public should be avoided since this approach exposes them to the possibility of making comparisons with team members, thus, promoting the behaviors associated with eating disorders.

Coaches can take the front role by supporting athletes to adopt better behaviors as opposed to criticizing and bullying them on issues pertaining to weight and body composition. They should embrace an environment that supports and encourages athletes to consider and prioritize their health than performance. The athletes must be made to understand the need for a balancing act between performance and healthy body weight. The problem of identification of eating disorders in males is more pronounced in the sense that, eating disorders are often associated with females; hence men may suffer in silence due to lack of attention. Even when a male athlete is aware that he is experiencing an eating disorder, there is a high possibility to conceal such symptoms to avoid being stereotyped as having a female disorder.

It is arguably correct to posit that anorexia and bulimia conditions are physically manifested. However, it remains a tall order to identify eating disorder behavior related to the same before it is too late. The sporting culture is in a way that it encourages unusual eating tendencies and as such, sports people who succumb to anorexia and bulimia may consider it as nothing serious but instead as a pursuit of athletic excellence. The interview and questionnaires are cited to have confidentiality issues and this greatly affects eating disorders (McLean & Byrne, 2011). Lack of confidentiality leads to falsification of reports avoid consequences such as suspension from athletic activities. Garner et al advice the use of self-reports if and if only they would not lead to loss of sporting position.

It should also be clear which parties will have access to the results (Garner, Olmstead, Bohr, & Barry, 1998). These suggestions are critical since they advance validity as well as ethical research dimensions of self-disclosure, especially among athletes. The sports management team should always be on the lookout for identifiable signs of eating disorders. Conclusion Eating disorders are a real and serious health problem that has a significant impact on athletic performance. It remains imperative for sports personnel to acquaint themselves with the relevant information and tools for early detection of eating disorders and subsequent referral to treatment centers. The identification cannot be complete without the use of questionnaire screening and timely medical examinations. This should be done along with other general health evaluation procedures.