Coaching THE HEALTHY SKATER
Eating Disorders 101 Skaters At-Risk
Despite a particularly high prevalence of eating disorders in the figure skating community, many of us don’t have all the facts about eating disorders.
Get a better understanding of these complex diseases and learn how to recognize them with this latest installment of EDGE’s series on eating disorders.
T wo years into coaching Sydney,* Molly noticed the
once bubbly, enthusiastic skater seemed to be fading. Sydney had become withdrawn, her passion for skating
gone. In addition to the drastic personality change, Molly watched Sydney’s healthy, athletic body get smaller and smaller. Molly met with Sydney’s mother who had also seen her
daughter’s health and personality transform. Equipped with a basic knowledge of eating disorders and their symptoms, Molly told Sydney’s mom she suspected Sydney had an eating disorder. Sydney’s mother agreed, and together they formed an action plan and convinced Sydney to undergo treatment. If Molly hadn’t known some information about eating
disorders, she might not have recognized what Sydney was going through. Instead, she was able to see symptoms and intervene — possibly saving Sydney’s life. Given the high prevalence of eating disorders in the skating community, skaters and coaches should be educated about these diseases in order to recognize the symptoms in themselves and others.
Types of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are mental illnesses that affect males and female of all ages. Te Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) lists four eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other specified feeding or eating disorder. Figure skaters can develop any of these devastating disorders.
• Anorexia nervosa: Skaters who struggle with anorexia typically weigh themselves often, portion food carefully and eat very little despite a rigorous workout schedule. Tese skaters tends to think negatively and fearfully about food and their bodies. Warning signs include relentless pursuit of thinness, fear of gaining weight, over-exercise, distorted body image, weight loss and anxiety.
• Bulimia nervosa: Skaters who struggle with bulimia compensate for eating by ridding themselves of excess food. Compensatory mechanisms may include purging, laxatives and excessive exercise. Frequently eating large portions of food followed by behavior to offset weight gain is a common warning sign. Skaters with bulimia might visit the restroom shortly after eating and feel depressed or anxious.
• Binge eating disorder: Skaters with binge eating disorder eat large amounts of food to soothe negative emotions. After bingeing, skaters with this disorder usually swing to another extreme and restrict their caloric intake — often resulting in bingeing again. Warning signs include repeatedly consuming excessive amounts of food without hunger, eating to cope with negative emotions, and feeling out of control, self- loathing and depressed.
• Other specified feeding or eating disorder: Skaters may struggle with a combination of the DSM-5 eating disorders or present symptoms not defined at all. An example of an eating disorder that is particularly relevant to skaters is anorexia
16 ISI EDGE SUMMER 2016
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