Psychological characteristics associated with disordered eating in university athletes

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Reference

*Labossière S, Thibault I. (2020). Psychological characteristics associated with disordered eating in university athletes. Translational Sports Medecine. En ligne: 1-6.

Abstract

Disordered eating (DE) corresponds to the presence of fasting, food restriction, skipping meals or consuming appetite suppressants, excessive physical exercise, image distortion, dissatisfaction with body weight and shape, fear of weight gain, and desire for thinness. University student athletes are particularly at risk of developing DE because they must adapt simultaneously to the demands of adult life, university life, and competitive high‐level sports. This study aimed to identify which psychological characteristics are most strongly associated with the presence of DE among university student athletes. In September 2018, 95 female participants completed an online survey composed of several questionnaires evaluating DE, psychological characteristics, and sociodemographic information. DE affected 21.1% of the sample. Among the psychological variables evaluated, overcontrol and perceived media pressure were the most strongly associated with the presence of DE. The more university students presented overcontrol and perceived media pressure, the more likely they were to present DE. In sports medicine, it is essential that professionals evaluate psychological vulnerabilities of university student athletes and offer them support in this regard.

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