DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE COLLEGE LEAN SPORT ATHLETES, NONLEAN SPORT ATHLETES, AND NONATHLETES ON BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INDEXES OF EATING DISORDERS

This study examined the relative frequency of behavioral and psycholog ical indices of eating disorders in collegiate athletes and nonathlete s. Participants were 230 male and 250 female nonathletes, and 187 male and 113 female varsity athletes. The male and female athletes were cl assified separately as either in a lean sport (i.e., where weight or a ppearance was central to success) or a nonlean sport and then compared with their nonathlete counterparts. After controlling for the effects of actual physical size, multivariate analyses revealed that (a) fema le athletes in lean sports were more weight preoccupied than nonlean s port female athletes and female nonathletes, (b) nonathletes, both mal e and female, expressed more dissatisfaction with their bodies than bo th of their respective athlete comparison groups, and (c) nonathletes, both male and female, felt less worthwhile and less effective in thei r lives than their respective gender's nonlean sport athletes. These f indings are discussed in terms of sociocultural theories concerning th e etiology of eating disorders. Implications for future research are p rovided.