Sports people

In recent times eating disorders appear to have become more common among athletes who participate in certain sports. It has been found that eating disorders are more common in athletes whom participate in sports which focus on both leanness and appearance. Specific sports which are found to have a high prevalence of eating disorders include running, wrestling, gymnastics, horse racing and figure skating.
 
Females more commonly experience sports-related eating disorders; however it is also on the rise in males. Disordered eating in athletes may lead to poor performance levels; this is due the athlete not receiving the right amount of vitamins and nutrition which the body requires. When the body doesn’t receive the required energy from food, performance drops.

What causes eating disorders in athletes?
 
Many reasons contribute to the development of eating disorders in athletes, and it varies from each individual and the sport in which they perform in. Two of the most common reasons found for athletes developing an eating disorder are;
1.   The Competitive Nature of the sport
 In many sports athletes with a leaner physique and shorter stature perform better. So nowadays competitive athletes are often willing to do whatever is necessary to gain an edge over their opponent in order to win, including sacrificing their physical health. In the end however, many of these athletes decline in their overall performance of the sport.
2.   Pressure from coaches
Many athletes may receive constant pressure from their coaches who may encourage them to lose weight in order to be a better performer.
 
Some athletes with eating disorders take bulimia and anorexia to such extremes that they no longer enjoy participating in their chosen sport. Athletes are very strong and determined people; this is what makes them successful in what they do. However, when an athlete develops an eating disorder, they may also incorporate this same determination into continuing their disorder. This is very dangerous and can lead them away from their original intentions of health and enjoyment.