Eating Disorders in Athletes Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Eating Disorders in Athletes flashcards as text
A sports dietitian notices a gymnast consistently avoids team meals, over-exercises after practice, and has dental erosion. Which eating disorder is most likely?
Answer: Bulimia nervosa
Dental erosion from acid exposure (purging), social meal avoidance, and compensatory exercise are classic signs of bulimia nervosa.
According to the IOC consensus on RED-S, which performance outcome is NOT directly linked to low energy availability?
Answer: Increased maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max)
Low energy availability impairs multiple performance parameters but does not increase VO2 max; aerobic capacity is generally compromised or unchanged, not enhanced.
Which psychological model best explains why perfectionism is considered a risk factor for eating disorders in elite athletes?
Answer: Cognitive-behavioral model — perfectionism drives rigid dietary rules and fear of imperfection
The cognitive-behavioral model links perfectionism to eating disorders through rigid, all-or-nothing thinking about food, body, and performance that drives restrictive or compensatory behaviors.
When an athlete with bulimia nervosa is medically cleared to continue training, what nutrition strategy should the dietitian prioritize first?
Answer: Establishing regular structured meal and snack timing to reduce binge-purge urges
Regular structured eating is the cornerstone nutritional intervention for bulimia nervosa, as irregular eating patterns drive hunger and precipitate binge episodes.
Which characteristic of an athlete's training environment is identified in research as a 'sport-specific risk factor' for developing eating disorders?
Answer: Coaches who comment negatively on athletes' body weight or shape
Research consistently identifies coach comments about body weight or shape as a significant sport-specific environmental risk factor for eating disorders in athletes.
A sports dietitian is working with an athlete recently diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Which level of care is most appropriate if the athlete has a heart rate of 44 bpm, orthostatic hypotension, and BMI of 15.2?
Answer: Inpatient medical stabilization
Severe bradycardia, orthostatic hypotension, and very low BMI indicate medically unstable anorexia nervosa requiring inpatient hospitalization for medical stabilization.
What is the term for the clinical syndrome in which an athlete has all three components of low bone mineral density, menstrual dysfunction, and low energy availability?
Answer: The Female Athlete Triad
The Female Athlete Triad specifically describes the interrelated trio of low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density.