The Hidden Struggle of ‘Healthy’ Athletes: Disconnect Between Fitness and Body Image Fuels Disordered Eating
A new study reveals a troubling paradox: recreational athletes, despite perceiving themselves as healthy and fit, frequently enough harbor deep dissatisfaction with their bodies, increasing their risk for disordered eating and exercise behaviors.
A recent investigation by Edith Cowan University (ECU) uncovered a significant disconnect between how individuals engaged in regular physical activity view themselves and the reality of their mental and emotional well-being. Only 26% reported satisfaction with their weight and shape.
This disparity highlights a concerning trend, according to ECU’s Dr. Valeria Varea. “The findings confirm that athletes, particularly those engaged in regular or structured physical activity, are statistically more likely to experience disordered eating and exercise behaviors than their non-athlete counterparts,” she stated. This risk is amplified in sports emphasizing leanness, such as gymnastics, or those categorized by weight classes.
The research also revealed a high level of anxiety surrounding food choices. A ample 67% of participants reported feeling anxious or distressed when unable to access foods they deemed “healthy,” and a staggering 88% experienced guilt after consuming foods considered “unhealthy.” This preoccupation with “clean eating” can perhaps evolve into Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), a condition characterized by an obsessive focus on righteous eating. Individuals with ON become intensely anxious when deprived of their specific healthy food choices, leading to feelings of being out of control.
Unlike anorexia nervosa, where the primary concern is the quantity of food, ON centers on the quality of food. Moreover, some athletes are susceptible to Orthorexia athletica (OA), a related condition marked by the compulsive use of healthy food alongside obsessive exercise. Essentially, OA represents a descent from a healthy lifestyle into an unhealthy fixation on both diet and physical activity.
Vice Chancellor’s Professorial Research Fellow Professor Dawn Penney emphasized the dual nature of these concerns. “The simultaneous concerns with both quality of food and compulsive exercise are what distinguishes OA from ON, where the concern is only with the quality of food,” she explained. “Athletes are regarded as a population group particularly at risk, with several sports and sporting cultures associated with regulated healthy eating regimes, high levels of training and/or a ‘slim to win’ orientation.”
Adding to the complexity, neither OA nor ON currently have formal medical diagnoses. As Dr. Varea pointed out, “There is no way for athletes or recreational exercisers to really know when they are crossing the boundary from healthy eating into ON, or from healthy exercise into OA.” This lack of clear diagnostic criteria underscores the urgent need for improved education and support systems.
Professor Penney advocates for expanded educational approaches,particularly for athletes participating outside of formal club structures. “With diversification in how people engage in sport participation and how information about participation is communicated, there is a need for further research to explore how health education can be most effectively framed to minimize incidence and the risks associated with eating and exercise disorders for a broad spectrum of people,” she said.
The study, published in Health Education in July 2025, serves as a critical reminder that pursuing a healthy lifestyle can, paradoxically, become a pathway to unhealthy obsessions.A more nuanced understanding of these risks,coupled with accessible educational resources,is essential to safeguarding the well-being of athletes at all levels.
Source: Varea,V., et al. (2025).Sport participation and the pursuit of active and healthy lifestyles: everyday athletes’ relationships with eating and exercise. Health Education, pp.1-16. doi: 10.1108/he-09-2024-0108. https://www.emerald.com/he/article/doi/10.1108/HE-09-2024-0108/1278476/Sport-participation-and-the-pursuit-of-active-and
