EATING DISORDERS IN FEMALE ATHLETES

Eating disorders can lead to death. The prevalence of subclinical and eating disorders is high among female athletes, and the prevalence of eating disorders is higher among female athletes than nonathletes. Ath letes competing in sports where leanness or a specific bodyweight is c onsidered important are more prone to develop eating disorders than at hletes competing in sports where these factors are considered less imp ortant. It appears necessary to examine true eating disorders, the sub clinical disorders and the range of behaviours and attitudes associate d with eating disturbances in athletes, to learn how these clinical an d subclinical disorders are related. Because of methodological weaknes ses in the existing studies, including deficient description of the po pulations studied and the methods of data collection, the best instrum ent or interview method is not known. Therefore, more research on athl etes and eating disorders is needed. Suggestions of the possible sport specific risk factors associated with the development of eating disor ders in athletes exist, but large scale longitudinal studies are neede d to learn more about risk factors and the aetiology of eating disorde rs in athletes at different competitive levels and within different sp orts. Further studies are required on the short and long term effects of eating disorders on athletes' health and athletic performance.