Do bodybuilders have eating disorders?

nmuriqi · 10-19-2004, 09:26 PM

I'm a psychology major and this was printed in my psychopathology book under eating disorders. What do you guys think?

Bodybuilding is an increasingly popular sport, but bodybuilders routinely have substantial weight fluctuations as they try to shape their bodies for competition and then binge in the off-seasons. For example, one study compared male bodybuilders with men with diagnosed eating disorders and found that the bodybuilders had a pattern of eating and exercisng as obsessive as that of the men with the eating disorders, but with a focus on gaining muscle, ratherthan losing fat. In another study of male bodybuilders, 46 percent reported bingeing after most competitions, and 85 percent reported gaining significant weight (an average of 15 pounds) in the off-season. Then they dieted to prepare for competition losing an average of 14 pounds. In a parallel study of female bodybuilders and weight lifters, 42 percent reported having been anorexic at sometime in their lives, 67 percent were terrified of being fat, and 58 percent were obsessed with food. A study of female weightlifters found that they often abused ephedrine, a stimulant that helps to reduce body fat, particularly if they had symptoms of an eating disorder.

JLB001 · 10-19-2004, 09:29 PM

I don't fall anywhere in any of those discriptions. I've never had eatting disorders, never been extremly overweight, nor am I obessesed with food.

I see myself as having more control when getting ready for a comp. than the everyday person that lifts and trains.

Bingeing after a comp. is normal. We just try to cram in as much of the food we had been missing in one day.

**CowPimp** · 10-19-2004, 11:14 PM

I think the difference is that bodybuilders try to lose the weight in a healthy manner. People with eating disorders just try to lose the weight.

Katia7 · 10-20-2004, 10:04 AM

I think that the description of eating dissorders is always a bit off. Eating dissorders has more to do with a person's psychological state of mind, not how and what they eat.
Body builders or any person who's trying to loose weight in a healthy manner doesn't really have an eating dissorder, they just have to be strict about their diet.
A person with an eating dissorder lets food (or lack of food) control their life no matter what the consequences are.

10-19-2004, 09:26 PM	#1
nmuriqi Swelling up Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 210 Photos: 4	Do bodybuilders have eating disorders? I'm a psychology major and this was printed in my psychopathology book under eating disorders. What do you guys think? Bodybuilding is an increasingly popular sport, but bodybuilders routinely have substantial weight fluctuations as they try to shape their bodies for competition and then binge in the off-seasons. For example, one study compared male bodybuilders with men with diagnosed eating disorders and found that the bodybuilders had a pattern of eating and exercisng as obsessive as that of the men with the eating disorders, but with a focus on gaining muscle, ratherthan losing fat. In another study of male bodybuilders, 46 percent reported bingeing after most competitions, and 85 percent reported gaining significant weight (an average of 15 pounds) in the off-season. Then they dieted to prepare for competition losing an average of 14 pounds. In a parallel study of female bodybuilders and weight lifters, 42 percent reported having been anorexic at sometime in their lives, 67 percent were terrified of being fat, and 58 percent were obsessed with food. A study of female weightlifters found that they often abused ephedrine, a stimulant that helps to reduce body fat, particularly if they had symptoms of an eating disorder.
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10-19-2004, 09:29 PM	#2
JLB001 I see YOU!! Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Houston Posts: 8,293 Photos: 5	I don't fall anywhere in any of those discriptions. I've never had eatting disorders, never been extremly overweight, nor am I obessesed with food. I see myself as having more control when getting ready for a comp. than the everyday person that lifts and trains. Bingeing after a comp. is normal. We just try to cram in as much of the food we had been missing in one day.
	"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on."

10-19-2004, 11:14 PM	#3
CowPimp Fueled by Testosterone Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 15,405	I think the difference is that bodybuilders try to lose the weight in a healthy manner. People with eating disorders just try to lose the weight.
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10-20-2004, 10:04 AM	#4
Katia7 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New York Posts: 767	I think that the description of eating dissorders is always a bit off. Eating dissorders has more to do with a person's psychological state of mind, not how and what they eat. Body builders or any person who's trying to loose weight in a healthy manner doesn't really have an eating dissorder, they just have to be strict about their diet. A person with an eating dissorder lets food (or lack of food) control their life no matter what the consequences are.