Comments on: 1 in 4 Elite Student Athlete in Norway Have Symptoms of Eating Disorder http://fasterskier.com/2009/11/1-in-4-elite-student-athlete-in-norway-have-symptoms-of-eating-disorder/ FasterSkier: Cross-Country Ski, Biathlon, and Nordic Combined Racing, Training and News Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:43:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Patrick Stinson http://fasterskier.com/2009/11/1-in-4-elite-student-athlete-in-norway-have-symptoms-of-eating-disorder/comment-page-1/#comment-813 Patrick Stinson Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:24:20 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=34270#comment-813 Ironically, we've got an advertisement for "1 tip of a flat belly" sort of all over this site. I will admit that being involved in mountain running includes plenty of talk about weight. I can say that I know how much each of my friends weighs in the off season, and almost exactly what their race weight is. The faster (and usually older) guys also change their diet significantly in the spring time in order to lose over ten pounds for a sport that essentially includes one long hill. Personally, I usually try to switch from beer to wine following suit with most non-athletic women I know :) Now I wouldn't consider any of them to have an eating disorder, but where is the line drawn? I've seen plenty of juniors on or over that line trying to deal with peer pressure and the desire to succeed, especially in running. Along with a wonderful competitive endurance sports culture that includes specialized schools, the scandinavian juniors have the opportunity to indulge in the glory but also added pressure. I'm curious what others think about how this fits into our North American culture? We are not Scandinavia, so probably reflect these problems in our own way? Ironically, we’ve got an advertisement for “1 tip of a flat belly” sort of all over this site.

I will admit that being involved in mountain running includes plenty of talk about weight. I can say that I know how much each of my friends weighs in the off season, and almost exactly what their race weight is. The faster (and usually older) guys also change their diet significantly in the spring time in order to lose over ten pounds for a sport that essentially includes one long hill. Personally, I usually try to switch from beer to wine following suit with most non-athletic women I know :)

Now I wouldn’t consider any of them to have an eating disorder, but where is the line drawn? I’ve seen plenty of juniors on or over that line trying to deal with peer pressure and the desire to succeed, especially in running.

Along with a wonderful competitive endurance sports culture that includes specialized schools, the scandinavian juniors have the opportunity to indulge in the glory but also added pressure.

I’m curious what others think about how this fits into our North American culture? We are not Scandinavia, so probably reflect these problems in our own way?

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