Risk Factors for Eating Disorders among Male Adolescent Athletes

Abstract Objective. Eating disorders (ED) are an important and increasing problem in adolescents. The objective of this study was to examine the risk factors and the prevalence of risk for ED among male adolescent elite athletes and nonathletic controls. Differences between male athletes competing in aerobic, anaerobic and aerobic-anaerobic sports were examined as well. Methods. This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey and anthropometric measurements were conducted on 351 adolescents (athletes n = 228; controls n = 123). All participants were aged 15-17 at the time of measuring. Risk for ED was determined using a SCOFF questionnaire. Results. The overall prevalence of the risk for ED in male adolescents was 24.8%, with no significant differences among athletes and controls or different subgroups of athletes (p>0.05), although the highest prevalence (37.2%) was registered in aerobic subgroup of athletes. Higher number of attempts to lose weight was associated with increased risk of ED in each group (athletes and controls). Other predictors referred to lack of breakfast and body composition in aerobic subgroup of athletes and number of meals and training frequency in anaerobic subgroup. The most common reasons for dieting were improvement of sport results (19.6-44.2%) and better self-esteem (41.5%) in athletes and controls respectively. Conclusions. Participation in the competitive sport itself is not associated with the increased risk for ED. It seems that risk factors for ED for adolescent athletes competing in aerobic and anaerobic sports represent a subject that deserves consideration and further investigation in the future IZVLEČEK Namen. Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti dejavnike tveganja in prevalenco tveganja za motnje hranjenja med športniki adolescenti in kontrolno skupino ter razlike med športniki, ki tekmujejo v aerobnih, anaerobnih in v aerobno-anaerobnih športnih. Metode. Športniki so bili iz 22 različnih športnih panog (N = 228; kontrola N = 123). Merjenci so bili med meritvami stari od 15 do 17 let. Splošen vprašalnik se je nanašal na pogostost in trajanje treninga, zmanjševanje telesne teže, metode, ki so jih za to uporabljali, in prehranjevalne navade. Za oceno tveganja za nastanek motnje hranjenja je bil uporabljen vprašalnik SCOFF. Rezultati. Telesna sestava je bila izmerjena z napravo InBody230. Najvišja prevalenca tveganja za motnje hranjenja je bila opažena v aerobni skupini (37,2 %). Najpogostejši vzrok za zmanjševanje telesne teže je bil med športniki izboljšanje tekmovalnega dosežka (19,6 %-44,2 %), v kontrolni skupini pa dvig samopodobe (41,5 %). Dejavniki tveganja za razvoj motenj hranjenja se med skupinami razlikujejo. Najpogostejši je bil število poizkusov zmanjšanja telesne teže. V aerobni skupini se je kot najpomembnejši dejavnik pokazal zajtrk (p = 0,028). Zaključek. Dejavniki za povečano tveganje motenj hranjenja se v aerobni in aerobno-anaerobni skupini nanašajo na prehranjevalne navade, v anaerobni skupini pa na pogostost treninga. Trenerji so še vedno glavni razlog zmanjševanja telesne teže med športniki adolescenti