The prevalence of disordered eating and eating disorders vary from 0–19% in male athletes and 6–45% in female athletes. The objective of this paper is to present an overview of eating disorders in adolescent and adult athletes including: (1) prevalence data; (2) suggested sport‐ and gender‐specific risk factors and (3) importance of early detection, management and prevention of eating disorders. Additionally, this paper presents suggestions for future research which includes: (1) the need for knowledge regarding possible gender‐specific risk factors and sport‐ and gender‐specific prevention programmes for eating disorders in sports; (2) suggestions for long‐term follow‐up for female and male athletes with eating disorders and (3) exploration of a possible male athlete triad.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of dieting, reasons for dieting and prevalence of disordered eating among adolescent elite athletes and age-matched controls, and to examine the differences between athletes competing in leanness and non-leanness sports.Methods: First-year students of 16 different Norwegian Elite Sport High Schools (athlete group, n = 682) and two randomly selected ordinary high schools from a county representative of the general Norwegian population (control group, n = 423) were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. A total of 606 athletes and 355 controls completed the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 89% and 84%, respectively. The questionnaire contained questions regarding training patterns, menstrual status and history, dieting, use of pathogenic weight control methods and the drive for thinness (DT) and body dissatisfaction (BD) subscales from the Eating Disorders Inventory.Main outcome measure: Disordered eating, defined as meeting one or more of the following criteria: DT score ⩾15 (girls) and ⩾10 (boys), BD score ⩾14 (girls) and ⩾10 (boys), body mass index <17.9 kg/m²(girls) and <17.5 kg/m²(boys), current and/or ⩾3 previous efforts to lose weight, use of pathogenic weight control methods and self-reported menstrual dysfunction.Results: A higher prevalence of control subjects were dieting and classified with disordered eating compared with the athletes. An improvement of appearance was a more common reason for dieting among controls compared with athletes. No differences in dieting or disordered eating were found between leanness and non-leanness sports athletes.Conclusions: Self-reported disordered eating is more prevalent among controls than adolescent elite athletes, and losing weight to enhance performance is an important reason for dieting among adolescent elite athletes.

Objective: To describe changes in physical activity (PA) and exercise dependence score during treatment of eating disorders (ED), and to explore correlations among changes in PA, exercise motivation, exercise dependence score and ED psychopathology in excessive and non‐excessive exercisers.Method: Thirty‐eight adult females receiving inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or ED not otherwise specified participated in this prospective study. Assessments included accelerometer assessed PA, Exercise Dependence Scale, Reasons for Exercise Inventory, ED Examination, and ED Inventory.Results: Amount of PA was significantly reduced in non‐excessive exercisers during treatment, in excessive exercisers there was a trend towards reduced amount of PA from admission to discharge. In excessive exercisers, reduced ED psychopathology was correlated with reduction in exercise dependence score and perceived importance of exercise to regulate negative affects, but not with importance of exercise for weight/appearance. These associations were not found in non‐excessive exercisers.Discussion: Excessive exercise is an important issue in longstanding ED, and the excessive exercising patients need help to develop alternative strategies to regulate negative affects. © 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2010

Objective: To examine self reported versus objectively assessed moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and different reasons for exercise, in patients with longstanding eating disorders (ED) when compared with controls.Method: Inpatient females (n = 59, mean 30.1 years) and nonclinical age matched controls (n = 53, mean 31.3 years) accepted participation in this cross sectional study. Instruments included accelerometer ActiGraph, physical activity diary, Reasons for Exercise Inventory, and Eating Disorders Examination interview.Results: Self reported and objectively assessed MVPA were higher across all ED diagnoses when compared with controls. The patients' self reported MVPA was lower than the objectively assessed MVPA; no difference was found in controls. Regulation of negative affects, not weight/appearance, was a more important, whereas fitness/health was a less important reason for exercise in patients than controls.Discussion: The underreporting of MVPA in some patients with ED may warrant clinical attention. © 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2010; 43:88–92

We recruited 72 males (mean ± SD, weight = 84.9 ± 12.9 kg, height = 180.4 ± 5.8 cm) and 22 females (weight = 76.0 ± 17.2 kg, height = 171.2 ± 6.7 cm) from 20 to 70+ yr with a training status typical for their age group and divided them into six decade cohorts. The participants followed supervised training with a targeted intensity of 90%–95% of maximal HR (HRmax) three times a week for 8 wk. Results After HIIT, all age groups increased (P < 0.001–P = 0.004) maximal oxygen consumption (V˙O2max) with 0.39 ± 0.20 (20–29 yr), 0.28 ± 0.21 (30–39 yr), 0.36 ± 0.08 (40–49 yr), 0.34 ± 0.27 (50–59 yr), 0.33 ± 0.23 (60–69 yr), and 0.34 ± 0.14 (70+ yr) L·min−1, respectively. These 9%–13% improvements were not significantly different between the age groups. In contrast to age, the percentage improvements after HIIT were inversely associated with baseline training status (r = 0.66, P < 0.001). HRmax was not altered within the respective age cohorts, but the two oldest cohorts exhibited a tendency (P = 0.07) to increase HRmax in contrast to a training-induced decrease in the younger cohorts. Conclusion In healthy individuals with an aerobic capacity typical for what is observed in the population, the training response is likely not affected by age in a short-term training intervention but may rather be affected by the initial training status. These findings imply that individuals across age all have a great potential for cardiovascular improvements, and that HIIT may be used as an excellent strategy for healthy aging....