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Controlled Clinical Trial
. 2021 Feb;26(1):75-83.
doi: 10.1007/s40519-019-00819-0. Epub 2019 Nov 28.

Eating behavior and reasons for exercise among competitive collegiate male athletes

Sasha Gorrell  1 , Jason M Nagata  2 , Katherine Bell Hill  3 , Jennifer L Carlson  3 , Alana Frost Shain  4 , Jenny Wilson  5 , C Alix Timko  6 , Kristina K Hardy  7 , James Lock  8 , Rebecka Peebles  9
Affiliations
Controlled Clinical Trial

Eating behavior and reasons for exercise among competitive collegiate male athletes

Sasha Gorrell et al. Eat Weight Disord. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: Research concerning eating disorders among adolescent and young adult male athletes is limited compared with female counterparts, but increasing evidence indicates that they may be at unique risk for unhealthy exercise and eating behavior. The current study aimed to characterize unhealthy exercise and eating behavior according to competitive athlete status, as well as per sport type.

Method: Collegiate male athletes (N = 611), each affiliated with one of the 10 National College Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I schools in the United States, completed an online survey, reporting on eating and extreme weight control behaviors, and reasons for exercise.

Results: Competitive athletes endorsed increased driven exercise and exercising when sick. Baseball players, cyclists, and wrestlers emerged as the sports with the most players reporting elevated Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire scores in a clinical range, and basketball players reported the highest rates of binge eating. overall, baseball players, cyclists, rowers, and wrestlers appeared to demonstrate the greatest vulnerability for unhealthy eating and exercise behavior.

Conclusion: Findings revealed differences between competitive and non-competitive male athletes. Among competitive athletes, results identified unique risk for unhealthy eating and exercise behavior across a variety of sport categories and support continued examination of these attitudes and behaviors in a nuanced manner.

Level ii: Evidence obtained from well-designed controlled trials without randomization.

Keywords: Adolescent male; Competitive male athletes; Compulsive exercise; Eating disorders; Male athletes.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Percent of Athletes with Clinical Range of EDE-Q Global and Subscale Scores Note: EDE-Q = Eating Disorders Examination – Questionnaire; Clinical range refers to > 85th percentile of undergraduate male norms
Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Percent of Athletes with Clinical Range of EDE-Q Global and Subscale Scores Note: EDE-Q = Eating Disorders Examination – Questionnaire; Clinical range refers to > 85th percentile of undergraduate male norms
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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