Document Type
Article
Academic Discipline
Sociology
Abstract
Eating disorders have become more prevalent in recent years, as societal standards have gotten harsher. Typically, when non-athletes think about the type of people who develop eating disorders, they may not consider athletes to be among those that are most affected. However, in sports such as wrestling and aesthetic sports, like gymnastics and figure skating, the emphasis of image and the pressure from coaches can be extremely harmful to athletes’ mental health. This article discusses specific statistics of the incidence of eating disorders in various sports, but mainly focuses on figure skating, gymnastics, and wrestling. The claim that the main driving force of eating disorders in these athletes is their coach’s comments is disputed. Rather, these disorders are caused by an internal struggle that is enhanced due to societal expectations and standards. In the future, health professionals, as well as the general public, should put more of an emphasis on acceptance of different body types and the prevention of eating disorders with the intention of saving many individuals from suffering.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Nitzsche, Genevieve. "Pressure to be Perfect." Sacred Heart University Scholar, vol. 3, no.1, 2019, https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/shuscholar/vol3/iss1/5