Likelihood of suffering from an eating disorder in a sample of Spanish cyclists and triathletes
Metadata
Show full item recordEditorial
BioMed Central
Materia
Elite athletes Eating disorders Diet BMI Risk factors
Date
2020-11-12Referencia bibliográfica
Muros, J. J., Ávila-Alche, Á., Knox, E., & Zabala, M. (2020). Likelihood of suffering from an eating disorder in a sample of Spanish cyclists and triathletes. Journal of Eating Disorders, 8(1), 1-7. [https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-020-00350-z]
Abstract
Background: During recent years, there has been increasing interest in the study of eating disorders within
sports practitioners, with prevalence being reported to be higher than in the general population. The aim of this
study was to describe and predict eating disorders according to sex, body mass index, age and sport discipline
within a sample of athletes.
Methods: A sample of 4037 cyclists and triathletes from across Spain was selected. Athletes self-reported
demographic characteristics and completed the revised restraint scale, SCOFF questionnaire and Mediterranean
diet adherence screener. To be eligible for inclusion, participants had to be over eighteen years old.
Results: Males were significantly less likely than females (p < 0.001; OR = 0.33), and triathletes (p < 0.01; OR = 0.76)
were less likely than cyclists to suffer from an eating disorder. Possibility of suffering from an eating disorder
increased with increasing body mass index (p < 0.001; OR = 1.38) and decreasing age (p < 0.001; OR = 0.97).
Conclusion: Findings suggest that the roles of sex, sport discipline, age and body mass index predict risk factors
for eating disorders in a sample of Spanish athletes. Clinical diagnosis seems necessary to better understand the
factors and mechanisms at play when Spanish athletes develop an eating disorder.
Trial registration: Ethics Committee of the University of Granada (N°883) data: 16/11/2015.