Navigation
The impact of dieting culture is different between sexes in endurance athletes: A cross-sectional analysis
While dieting may help athletes gain desirable body composition parameters that could improve physical performance, it could also cause disordered eating (DE) habits that may progress to fully-fledged eating disorders. In this cross-sectional study by Graybeal et al. (2022), the authors investigated the behavioral patterns surrounding diet culture in endurance athletes and attempted to identify potential sex differences amongst a sample of 231 endurance athletes (females n = 124). Participants submitted questionnaires regarding their dietary patterns and relevant study variables, revealing that only 29.9% of athletes followed a dietary plan. Females who didn’t follow a dietary plan had higher odds of going on a diet at least once (n = 162). Male athletes on a dietary plan were more inclined to consume a balanced diet, while their female counterparts leaned towards following a plant-based dietary plan. Females had higher odds of attempting a dietary plan compared to males, had higher odds of attempting ≥ three diets, and were more prone to low-carbohydrate, energy-restricted, ketogenic, and gluten-/dairy-free diets exclusively (22% females vs. 0% males), compared to their male counterparts. The most commonly adopted dietary plans were plant-based, carbohydrate/energy-restrictive, and elimination diets. The authors conclude that sex plays a major role in the frequency of going on diets and on following restrictive dietary trends, findings that should be accounted for by coaches and sports dieticians to help support athletes and tailor proper interventions for female athletes. [NPID: Disordered eating behaviors, eating disorders, endurance training, female athlete nutrition, sports nutrition]
Year: 2022
