Disordered eating often results as a result of the issue of control and an athletes weight may be one of the things she can completely control win or loose. Many athletes who have poor nutritional habits are at an intermediate point on the spectrum of disordered eating. These athletes are still at risk of developing serious endocrine, skeletal and psychiatric disorders. Bulimia Nervosa is a condition whereby the patient indulges in recurrent episodes of binge eating with a sense of lack of control over eating. To fit the definition the binging and purging must occur at least twice a week for at least 3 months.
Many athletes also engage in non-purging activities such as fasting and excessive exercise.
Serious problems include disturbances of the cardiovasculalar, endocrine and gastrointestinal systems, disruption of temperature regulation, psychological problems, and irreversible bone loss. More common among athletes is secondary amenorrhea which exists when a patient who once had normal periods ceases to have periods for three consecutive months. Amenorhea is associated with decreased blood concentration of estrogen which in turn leads to decreased bone mass and may raise cardiac risk. An athlete s muscle is only as strong as its underlying bone so this condition can lead to serious problems for the athlete. Cardiac irregularities and decreased pump efficiency also present serious problems for the athlete.