Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Female Athletes Exacerbated by Need to Masculinize One’s Body

Eating disorders and disordered eating are commonly experienced by female athletes, and are many times brought on by the pressure female athletes feel to masculinize one’s body. Right now, as the World Cup is going on and baseball is in full swing, I want to make young athletes and their coaches aware of this growing problem.

As I’ve seen in my own experience treating eating disorders in young women, the prevalence of these disorders in female athletes occurs at an even higher rate than the general population. They can be spurned by denial, perfectionism and psychosexual implications. Most athlete role models are men, with the exception of aesthetic sports such as dance, cheerleading and synchronized swimming and because of this many females think their bodies must match a male physique.

The psychosexual implications of being a female can contribute to this increased prevalence and risk of disordered eating among female athletes. Because most athlete role models are men there may be pressure to masculinize one’s body and become more muscular. They might also seek to avoid menstruation, with its inherent cyclical fluctuations affecting bodies and moods, since stability, consistency and control are important for athletic performance and success.

Early detection is key to fighting this deadly disease, which has a death rate twelve times higher than the death rate of ALL other causes of death for females between fifteen to twenty-four years old, and coaches and school administrators are sometimes the first line of defense in noticing key changes that could signal an eating disorder. There needs to be education around prevention and recognition of eating disorders, particularly to staff and coaches for female athletes and to the female athletes themselves. Coaches and school administrators must foster a culture of safety around the athlete so that they feel comfortable asking for help and expressing concerns about weight, as well as be able to make appropriate treatment recommendations. It is only through a combined effort on all fronts that we can stop this deadly disease and help young women find lifelong recovery.

As always, I encourage you to email questions you have about eating disorders or topics you would like me to address in an upcoming column to Dr.Kim@itsallinthejourney.com. I look forward to hearing from you.