Clinical trial NCT06518954: Triggers of Eating Disorders in Athletes
Official title: Self-Perceived Causes and Triggers for Eating Disorders in Athletes.
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Conditions: Eating Disorders
Keywords: athlete
sport
health
illness
mental illness
eating disorder
relative energy deficiency in sport
REDs
low energy availability
LEA
body dissatisfaction
body appearance pressure
body ideal
Lead sponsor: Ostfold University College
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
First posted: 2024-07-25
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 16
Maximum age (years): 50
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Athletes are recruited that has a past or current eating disorder, who will also suggest control individuals from the same sports team who have not had an eating disorder and can be invited to the study. These controls will serve as a comparable reference group regarding specific sports/team culture and nuances of personal experiences.

Brief summary: Over the past 30 years, a high prevalence of eating disorders in sports has been repeatedly documented, yet few preventive measures have been implemented. While most studies explore risk factors through quantitative means, few have investigated how athletes themselves experience the triggering elements in sports and how they perceive these triggers could be better managed. Another persistent question is why some athletes from a given sport and environment develop eating disorders while others do not. This study explore the experienced triggers reported by athletes who have struggled with eating disorders and compare them to the perspectives of athletes without eating disorders from the same environment. The study also aim to gather perceptions from both groups on how eating disorders and body dissatisfaction could be better addressed and prevented in sports.

Detailed description: Thirty years ago a Norwegian publication explored what athletes with eating disorders have experienced as the causes to their condition. Early specialization and sports cultures with early introduction to weighing and weight adjustment, high training volume, and traumatic experiences (body comments, loss of an important coach, family events) were highlighted as key self-perceived causes. This study and findings have been regularly cited and upheld as facts in professional and research literature but have not been further explored or replicated and confirmed since. This may be part of the reason why the sports world has not fully recognized its responsibility for measures despite the prevalence of eating disorders remaining unchanged over these decades. There is a need to continue exploring why some athletes develop eating disorders while others from the same conditions do not. This can be done by building on previous research and knowledge, examining specific personal or situational factors that may constitute an additional vulnerability, and also by considering self-experiences. There is also a need to understand what athletes believe can help reduce body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. This is especially relevant when considering how both the sports world and society have changed over these 30 years. Early specialization in sports, the desire to be a talent at a young age, and the massive influence of social media are factors that may be particularly challenging risk factors. Better knowledge can be used to develop supportive guidelines for sports teams and cultures, necessary rule changes, and in the education, training, and awareness of sports coaches and support staff. Such knowledge is also crucial when the sports world itself is to design the content of a national action plan to prevent body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in sports.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* previous/current competitive career in sport
* cohort 1: athlete with an/with a history of an eating disorder
* cohort 2: athlete from the same club without an eating disorder

Exclusion Criteria:

* disabled athletes
* not competitive athlete (below Tier 3)

Primary outcomes:
measure: Timing of eating disorder symptoms
timeFrame: August-December 2024
measure: Cause to development of eating disorders
timeFrame: August-December 2024
measure: Knowledge on the eating disorder
timeFrame: August-December 2024
measure: Preventive measures
timeFrame: August-December 2024
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Background variable, current symptoms of eating disorder
timeFrame: August-December 2024
measure: Background variable, family history
timeFrame: August-December 2024
measure: Background variable, other interests and identity
timeFrame: August-December 2024
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Fredrikstad
country: Norway
facility: Østfold University College
city: Oslo
country: Norway
facility: Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
Study officials:
affiliation: Associate Professor
name: Therese F Mathisen, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Sundgot-Borgen J. Prevalence of eating disorders in elite female athletes. Int J Sport Nutr. 1993 Mar;3(1):29-40. doi: 10.1123/ijsn.3.1.29.