Eating Disorders in College AthletesEach year, thousands of students are recruited to become student-athletes at colleges and each year, approximately 8 million people suffer from eating disorders. According to Psychology Applied to Modern Life, eating disorders are defined as “serious eating disorders characterized by a preoccupation with weight and unhealthy efforts to control weight (Weiten, Dunn, Hammer, 2011, p. 470). ). » Eating disorders can include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. With risk factors such as low self-esteem, pressure from family, friends and coaches, and unlimited access to food, it's no wonder that college athletes have higher rates of disorder. eating higher than ordinary students. Living in a dorm filled primarily with athletes, it became extremely obvious to me that these athletes are struggling with immense pressure and one way to get around that pressure is bulimia. Some sports put more pressure on athletes than others to reach a certain size and perform at a certain level. No matter what sport an athlete competes in, once they reach a certain level, the pressure is enormous. When an athlete starves themselves or vomits after eating, they can begin to become malnourished, which will negatively impact their performance. Athletes struggling with eating disorders may experience symptoms such as anemia, muscle loss, osteoporosis, electrolyte imbalance, heart problems, and hormonal changes (Harms, 2012). The vast majority of the time when athletes lose weight, they end up developing problems such as fatigue, nutritional deficiencies, and stunted growth that only go away...... middle of paper .... .. Black, DR(1988). Male and female college athletes: Prevalence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Athletic Training, 23, 137-140. Powers, P. S. and Johnson, C. (1996). Small victories: Prevention of eating disorders in athletes. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 4, 364-367. Leff, S. and Hoyle, R. (1995). Young athletes' perceptions of parental support and pressure. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 24(2), 187-203. Retrieved November 18, 2013 from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01537149#page-1 Weiten, W., Dunn, DS, Hammer, EY (2011). Psychology applied to modern life. Belmont, California. Cengage LearningAnorexia Nervosa. (nd). Anorexia nervosa. Accessed November 21, 2013, from http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/mental_health/mental_health_about/eating/anorexia_nervosa/Pages/index.aspx