Recently in the media there was a campaign which was advertised by Protein World called “Are you beach body ready?”. Within this advert which was seen all over the London underground there was a picture of a slim, sleek, toned young woman. Over the last few days there has been uproar over this campaign with […]
Orthorexia is becoming increasingly well known across many individuals, within the media and by researchers. This relatively new identified eating disorder just may be the stepping stone between an individual who eats a ‘healthy’ diet and someone clinically diagnosed with an eating disorder such as Anorexia Nervosa. In 1997, a physician named Dr. Steve Bratman, […]
Eating disorders and disordered eating behaviour are serious mental conditions “that manifest themselves in a variety of eating and weight-related signs and symptoms” (Thompson & Sherman, 2010, p. 7) and can affect both males and females of all age groups. The spectrum of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviour is broad and extensive; characteristics and […]
As a physically active population, athletes are typically viewed by the general public as healthy and strong, and so are not considered to be an at risk group for suffering from eating disorders. However this perception is part of the reason that eating disorders can be overlooked in sport. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) […]
Many research studies have found how participation in sport can heighten an individual’s probability of developing an eating disorder or disordered eating problems. This is due to not only psychological, socio-cultural and genetic pre-dispositions to developing these issues but also additional risks unique to the sporting environment. Inadvertently, behaviours such as excessive exercise or training […]
Not so long ago I was asked by a friend of mine, who is an athlete as well as me and has been for most of his life, whether I would encourage my own children into the competitive world of athletics. After a lot of consideration there was an uncertainty over the answer, but more […]
Anxiety surrounding body image and exercise is related to muscle gain, weight control and attractiveness leading to the question “Does this manifest in sport?” In short, yes it does, while athletes and coaches should be aware that personal sporting identity and body image are vulnerable to damage due to a perceived failure to meet the […]