Essstörungen im Sport: Vergleich von Sportstudenten und Studenten weiterer Studiengänge mittels Eating Disorder Inventory-2

Purpose: Whereas competitive sport is regarded as a risk factor for the development of eating disorders, physical activity and exercise are connected with preventive effects on mental and eating disorders. So far, it is not known which effect is more prominent in university students with a major in sports. Hence, the aim of the present study was to compare sport students with students without a sports-related major with regard to behavior associated with eating disorders. Material and methods: A total of 221 students enrolled at the German Sport University and 225 business and 287 science students enrolled at the University of Cologne participated in the survey. The anonymous questionnaire consisted of items from the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 on drive for thinness, bulimia-associated behavior and body dissatisfaction, and further questions on eating and training behavior. Results: Students with a major in sports had a significantly reduced drive for thinness compared to business students. Body dissatisfaction was significantly higher in business and science students when compared to sport students. Male sport students scored significantly higher on the bulimia scale than other male students. Conclusion: The present study shows that, despite of a greater percentage of elite athletes, sport students do not report behavior associated with eating disorders more frequently than students with other majors. In both males and females, sport students reported to be more satisfied with their body.