Weight control in wrestling: eating disorders or disordered eating?

Purpose: Several recent studies have pointed out that the weight loss techn iques used by wrestlers to make weight are similar to the behavior of bulim ics. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an increased risk o f bulimia nervosa existed for a group of junior high and high school wrestl ers. Methods: Wrestlers (N = 85) completed the Eating Disorder Inventory (E DI) once during the season, and once during the off-season. A comparison gr oup of nonwrestlers (N = 75) also completed the questionnaire. Results: No significant differences were found between the number of in-season wrestler s and nonwrestlers classified as "at risk" for bulimia nervosa. Significant differences were revealed, however, between in-season wrestlers and nonwre stlers, and between in-season wrestlers and off-season wrestlers, on the Dr ive for Thinness subscale. In both cases, significantly more in-season wres tlers scored above the "at risk" cutoff on the subscale. Conclusions: These results indicate that although in-season wrestlers an more weight consciou s than nonwrestlers, these feelings and attitudes are transient. All subjec ts classified as "at risk" also participated in an interview which followed the format of the Eating Disorder Examination. Interviews with in-season w restlers revealed that their concerns with weight were due entirely to the demands of wrestling, and did not meet the severity level required for a di agnosis of bulimia nervosa.