Introduction & Background:
Female athletes are at risk for developing eating disorders, they feel the need to engage in dieting, fasting, vomiting, and diet pills. These actions impact 35-57% of female athletes. An eating disorder can be defined as a variety of mental conditions that are characterized by an imbalance in eating and a weakness in physical or mental health. The female athlete triad is three components including osteoporosis, eating disorders, and amenorrhea (absence of menstrual cycle).
Purpose Statement & Research Question:
For female athletes around the ages of 18-23, what is the risk of eating disorders compared to their involvement in a competitive sport within the years they are participating in their sport?
Literature Review:
Sources were pulled from the CINAHL database, these articles are under 5 years of age.
Findings:
Female athletes develop low body weights. Approximately 4.3% of female athletes struggle with the female triad. The demands of athletes cause extensive stress and unhealthy eating patterns. About 62% of female athletes develop eating disorders.
Conclusion & Nursing Implications:
Nurses should be educated on how to identify symptoms, educate on risks associated with energy deficiency, and refer athletes to resources. It is important for nurses, coaches, and families to work to promote the health and well-being of athletes, and to prioritize prevention and early intervention when it comes to eating disorders.
Key search terms:
Search terms include “female athletes”, “the female triad”, “eating disorders”, “eating disorders in sports”, “coaches' role in the female triad”, and “risk for injuries”.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:es-conf-1113 |
| Date | 23 April 2023 |
| Creators | Smith, Mattie, Scarberry, Alexis, Riddle, Kamryn, Howard, Rebekah, Alaseel, Zahra |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference |
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