Abstract
Background:
Characterized by prolonged physical activity, ultra-endurance sports (UES) have attracted increasing popularity. Though moderate exercise can confer mental health benefits, the effects of extreme training volumes remain unclear. Instead, emerging research suggests a link between high training loads and increased psychiatric vulnerabilities, including for eating disorders (ED). Consequently, this study aimed to investigate trends in ED risk in a sample of ultra-endurance athletes (UEA) and the relationship to training volumes.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was administered among UEA using the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), alongside gathering demographic data and information on training hours. Athletes were categorized into three training volume groups: 20 h per week. Statistical tests, including ANOVA, Mann–Whitney U-tests, and Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis, were used to examine correlations between training volume and ED risk while adjusting for age and gender.
Results:
Of the n = 531 participants, 11% (n = 58) scored above the clinical threshold on the EAT-26, indicating a need for further evaluation. Equally, 20.3% (n = 107) exhibited at least one conspicuous behavioral symptom of disordered eating. Training volume was a significant predictor of ED risk (F = 31.494, p
Description
The study explores the link between training volume and eating disorder risk in ultra-endurance athletes.