Negative Effects of Body Image Pressure Placed on Female Athletes

    
     In the world of aesthetic-based sports such as gymnastics and figure skating, the strive for perfection

not only focuses on technique, but also appearance. Women athletes in these sports face scrutiny over

their physique, often leading to a damaging toll on physical performance and mental health. These

athletes have the pressure of maintaining a thin appearance along with immense athletic ability,

ultimately leading them in pursuit of unrealistic body image. The pressure is not only a personal

struggle, but an issue put on them by coaches, judges, media and fans. I believe it's important to

acknowledge these struggles in order to redefine images and success in these sports by prioritizing the

health of  female athletes rather than setting them up for failure through unrealistic aesthetic ideals. 

One of the most concerning effects of body image pressure in these sports is the increase of eating disorders found among women athletes. The National Eating Disorders Association found that eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and body dysmorphia are more likely found in women athletes compared to non athletes. Their article titled “Eating Disorders and Athletes” states eating disorders have been reported in 46% of women athletes.  The expectation to maintain a certain look leads to restrictive eating, excessive exercise and harmful weight control practices that can result in long term psychological and physical damage for these athletes. In a study produced through the National Library of Medicine researched the correlation between weight pressure put upon female gymnasts and eating disorders. The researcher had 269 gymnasts complete the Eating Attitudes Test and found “12.3% of the athletes scored ≥20 in the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), indicating a significant risk for disordered eating behaviors" (p. 3.2). Competitive gymnasts were more affected, with "16.3% scoring above 20 on EAT-26, compared to 7.4% of non-competitive gymnasts"  Which highlights the increase in eating disorders found in competitive athletes who experience a much higher pressure to maintain a certain weight and appearance. 

Body image pressure not only plays a role in disordered eating among female athletes, but also puts a strain on their mental and physical health. This pressure can lead to anxiety, depression and career ending injuries. Olympic athletes have spoken out about this topic such as Gracie Gold, a figure skater that competed in the 2014 Olympics.

Gold stated that the pressure to remain thin had a major contribution to her depression. It ultimately led her to taking a break from skating to focus on recovering from disordered eating and mental illness. Annals of Joint published an article that discusses a study conducted by Yang et al., it found “  depression rates in competitive collegiate student athletes and found that female athletes have 1.32 greater odds of being depressed” Female athletes have a higher chance of developing this mental illnesses and  become even more susceptible through intense pressure put on their bodies. Several Gymnasts have spoken out about the standard to remain as thin as possible has affected their mental health and  physical performance. These personal accounts from competitive athletes, as well as extensive research, reveal a pattern of emotional and psychological strain caused by the relentless pressure to maintain an ideal body image. 

Body image pressure put on athletes in gymnastics, figure skating and other aesthetic- based sports is an issue that demands attention. Society cannot continue to  ignore the negative impact it has on these talented women. It is time for society and coaches to start celebrating women athletes' strength, skill and determination rather than praising them for achieving harmful body standards. Coaches, judges and fans need to redefine what success looks like for these athletes by taking steps to prioritize mental health and physical well being over appearance. These steps could include nutritional education, media coverage that promotes body diversity, and strict guidelines that protect athletes from body shaming that leads to unhealthy practices.