Girls, Unhealthy Eating Behaviors &
Sports
Weight Loss Study Summary
Girls involved in sports that emphasize maintaining a certain body weight
are more likely than their peers to practice unhealthy eating behaviors
to achieve their ideal weight, a new large-scale weight loss study confirms.
Weight Loss Study Methods
Researchers analyzed selected data from a 1995-1996 survey of adolescent
health in Connecticut. The sub-sample included 5,174 female public school
students in the seventh, ninth, and 11th grades. Researchers placed a
girl in the "disordered eating behavior" category if she reported
attempting to lose weight or prevent weight gain during the previous week
by forcing herself to vomit, using diet pills, or taking laxatives or
diuretics. The researchers did not use survey data for less-extreme behaviors,
such as eating less to lose or keep from gaining weight, as these self-described
actions do not necessarily indicate disordered eating.
Weight Loss Study Results
The research reveals risk factors that can be used to identify girls engaged
in weight-dependent sports, like gymnastics and ballet, who are particularly
vulnerable to eating behaviors considered "disordered." These
risk factors include depression, a history of sexual abuse, or abuse of
cigarettes, alcohol or marijuana. The investigators found that participation
in a weight-related sport was a risk factor for disordered eating behaviors
- a girl in weight- related sport was 1.5 times more likely than a non-participant
to engage in these behaviors.
Weight Loss Study Conclusion
Yet despite the elevated risk among the girls involved in weight-related
sports, the responses of the vast majority (91 percent) provided no clear
evidence of disordered eating. By comparing various survey responses from
the girls who did and did not report disordered eating behaviors, the
investigators were able to identify risk factors beyond mere participation
in a weight-related sport. Of note, underweight was not on the list, suggesting
that low body weight for height is not a reliable indicator of disordered
eating in this population.
Source: Health Behavior News Service. www.hbns.org.2002
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