Table 6

General and sport specific risk factors for eating disorders273 296

General risk factorsSport specific risk factors

  • Low self esteem

  • Weight sensitive sports (eg, weight class sports such as rowing, wrestling and judo; those that may be aesthetic judged such as gymnastics, artistic swimming, diving, equestrian and figure skating; and gravitational sports in which lower body fat may be advantageous, such as distance running, cycling and swimming)

  • Depression

  • Team weigh-ins

  • Anxiety

  • Sport specific training before the body is fully mature (which might hinder an athlete from choosing a suitable sport for their adult body type)737

  • Genetic vulnerability

  • Performance pressure

  • Perfectionistic personality style

  • Injury299