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Eating disorders are a huge problem in society. Anorexia and bulimia are two types of eating disorders: anorexia is characterized by refusal to maintain a minimally accepted body weight, intense fear of weight gain, and distorted body image, while bulimia is known for episodes of binge-eating followed by inappropriate methods of weight control known as purging. An alarmingly substantial number of female athletes develop eating disorders annually. ...
Many female athletes fall victim to eating disorders in a desperate attempt to be thin in order to please coaches and judges. Many coaches are guilty of pressuring these athletes to be thin by criticizing them or making reference to their weight. ... Nutritional knowledge and a clear understanding of healthy eating habits have become as much a part of the instructor’s responsibility as knowing how to perform in sports. Coaches and trainers need to educate themselves on the dangers and the signs to look for in an athlete that may be suffering from an eating disorder. ... Christy resorted to anorexia and bulimia as a way to control her weight, and her eating disorders eventually took her life. ... In reality, if Christy and many other athletes in her position did not hear this negative criticism from judges and other officials they would not be prone to this damaging habit. ... This goes to show that as the year’s progress, competitors are more susceptible to eating disorders. ... The coach should only expect the athletes to do their best; they should not be expected to be number one. ...
Some believe that certain sports tend to predispose female athletes to these conditions, such as gymnastics, ballet, diving, running; swimming, figure skating, and dancing. ... “These distorted beliefs about ideal athletic body image and its prevalence extend from high school athletes through elite levels of competition, specifically in weight monitored and/or body appearance/image sports.” Sports such as gymnastics, figure skating, dancing and synchronized swimming have a higher percentage of athletes with eating disorders, than sports such as basketball, skiing and volleyball. According to a 1992 American College of Sports Medicine study, eating disorders affected 62 percent of females in sports like figure skating and gymnastics” (Thompson). Contradicting this find, the more personal survey goes to show that in actuality basketball players are more susceptible to eating disorders than cheerleaders (which are similar to the example given above). ... These athletes sacrifice more than just sleep and free time; they also give up numerous foods. “Competitive athletes may be at a higher risk than the more casual athlete due to a more rigorous training schedule and the ‘play-to-win’ nature of their sports…The emphasis on a certain ‘look’ and the perception that carrying less weight will universally improve performance lead to this risk” (Mosley 30). ... Although it is not very well known, the skipping of menstruation cycles, or not having them at all, among athletes is a serious problem, which can result in death, such as osteoporosis and increased risks to cancer and injury.
Approximate Word count = 2325
Approximate Pages = 9.3
(250 words per page double spaced)
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