Deidre Leaver-Dunn

Body Image, Anthropometric Measures, and Eating-Disorder Prevalence in Auxiliary Unit Members

CONTEXT Medical professionals have recognized eating disorders and related problems in competitive athletes. Auxiliary members (color guard, dance, majorettes) experience the same appearance-related pressures observed in sports commonly associated with eating disorders. OBJECTIVE To estimate eating-disorder prevalence based on associated eating-disorder characteristics and behaviors in female auxiliary members and to compare perceived and ideal body images and anthropometric measurements between at-risk and not-at-risk participants for eating-disorder characteristics and behaviors. DESIGN Cross-sectional design. SETTING Three universities in the southeastern United States. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Participants (n = 101, mean age = 19.2 +/- 1.2 years) represented 3 auxiliary units, including color guard (n = 35), dance line (n = 47), and majorettes (n = 19). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Participants self-reported menstrual history, height, and weight. Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, body fat percentage, and waist and hip circumferences. We screened for eating-disorder risk behavior with the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT)-26 and for body dissatisfaction with the Figural Stimuli Survey. RESULTS Based on the EAT-26, we estimated eating-disorder prevalence among members to measure 29.7% (95% confidence interval = 20.8%, 38.6%). The EAT-26 results revealed that 21% of participants used purgatives and 14% vomited to control weight or shape. The at-risk group had higher scores on the EAT-26 total (P <or= .01) and on the dieting (P <or= .01), oral control (P = .02), and bulimia (P = .01) subscales. Hip circumference (P = .01), self-reported weight (P = .03), measured weight (P = .04), difference between measured and preferred weights (P = .02), and calculated target weight (P = .02) were different between the at-risk and not-at-risk groups. CONCLUSIONS Collegiate auxiliary unit members may have an unacceptable prevalence of eating disorders. Our results validate concerns that auxiliary members may exhibit an unacceptable eating-disorder risk, highlighting the need to examine and address unhealthy weight-management behaviors independent of eating-disorder status.

Attitude and Knowledge Changes in Collegiate Dancers following a Short-Term, Team-Centered Prevention Program on Eating Disorders

Eating knowledge, nutritional knowledge, and psychological changes among female collegiate dancers were examined before and after a 4-wk. team-centered program on sport nutrition, exercise, and disordered eating consequences. Collegiate female dancers from two NCAA Division I institutions participated in a control (n = 19; M age = 19.1 yr., SD = 1.0) or intervention (n = 21; M age = 19.2 yr., SD = 1.2) group. Measures were administered to both groups before and after intervention to assess eating disorders, depression, and nutritional and disordered eating knowledge. There was a statistically significant increase in scores on nutritional and overall eating disorder knowledge in the intervention group compared to the control group. Mean scores on depression, drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and maturity fears decreased in the intervention group.