Disordered eating within elite male adolescent rugby: a cross-sectional study of the eating habits and attitudes in male Academy rugby Union players

Background

Due to a range of pressures associated with high-performance environments, elite athletes are at increased risk of eating disorders and disordered eating. Most prevalence studies focus on female athletes in lean or esthetic sports, with males, particularly those competing in power sports, seldom considered. This study addresses this gap by exploring disordered eating in elite male adolescent rugby union players.

Methods

We distributed an online survey to male rugby players aged 16–18 through RFU-affiliated academies. The survey contained three sections: general demographics; the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q); and knowledge of eating disorders.

Results

From 107 responses, 14% had a global EDE-Q score that met the clinical cut off of 1.68 for males displaying symptoms of an eating disorder. An increased Body Mass Index (BMI) was statistically significantly associated with a positive increase in global EDE-Q score. Props demonstrated the highest global EDE-Q scores. The desire to change body size was also statistically associated with increased global EDE-Q scores. Most participants admitted poor knowledge of eating disorders and where to access help to manage them by giving a score of 2 on a 1–5 Likert scale ranging from no knowledge to very knowledgeable.

Conclusions

Overall, 14% of the elite adolescent male rugby participants in this study met the clinical cut off EDE-Q global score, suggesting that there may be a higher prevalence of disordered eating behaviors and attitudes compared to the general population. Increased BMI and certain positions are associated with more disordered eating behaviors and attitudes. There is also a lack of confidence in knowledge about EDs and where to access help, therefore greater education and awareness about this issue is warranted. More research is required to further explore the reasons for the increase in disordered eating behaviors and attitudes.