Body Dissatisfaction and Drive for Thinness in High Performance Field Hockey Athletes

The prevalence of eating disordered tendencies and its relationship to body composition was examined in elite female field hockey players. Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) and body composition (skinfold) data were collected from 111 (92.5%) athletes from 12 teams at the 1994 Indoor Canadian National Tournament. Athletes at risk for developing frank eating disorders were identified using cutoff scores of clinically diagnosed patients with eating disorders. 19/111 (17.1%) demonstrated increased body dissatisfaction (BD), and 4/111 (3.6%) an elevated drive for thinness, suggesting that concern for body shape and size is a greater issue in field hockey than preoccupation with weight. Compared to athletes not at risk, those with elevated BD scores were significantly heavier, fatter, and had higher BMIs. Although it appears that these athletes may have reason to be dissatisfied, they may be at increased risk for initiating and sustaining weight controlling behaviours associated with eating disorders. Special care must be taken in any intervention strategy.