In recent years there has been a large increase in the popularity of bodybuilding. Studies are exploring the growing link between bodybuilding and eating disorders, which is the focus of this article.
Bodybuilding was once seen as purely a sport. However, there are many people who use the dietary methods and fitness practices that fall into this area without competing professionally.
For example ‘bulking and cutting’ is a dietary technique used in bodybuilding. It is categorised by alternating periods of consuming surplus calories (bulking) and restricting calories (cutting). The goal is to support growth of lean muscle mass and reduce body fat. Bulking and cutting has increased in popularity and is highly normalised in fitness communities.
Cheat meals are another popular dietary practice in fitness communities and the field of bodybuilding. It supports the idea of foods being categorised as good and bad, healthy and unhealthy. Many who engage in cheat meals restrain from eating foods that are not on their ‘allowed list’ through the week, before ‘cheating’ at the weekend through a cheat meal or cheat day.
Studies Suggest Links Between Bodybuilding and Eating Disorders
Bulking and Cutting
A recent study concluded that bulking and cutting was associated with a stronger drive for muscularity across the sample. It was also associated with more severe eating disorder and muscle dysmorphia psychopathology among men and women.
Given that the sole reason for engaging in this dietary technique is to build lean muscle mass and reduce body fat, it comes as no surprise that it can lead to an unhealthy preoccupation with food and body image.
A client recovering from muscle dysmorphia shares:
“I would spend all my time striving to be bigger and leaner. When bulking I worked my body to the max in the gym and ate a huge amount of calories. When I was cutting it was like I was starving myself. I lost my personality, my partner, and my purpose in life. It was just gym, eat, repeat. There was literally no time or energy for anything else.”
Cheat Meals
A recent study explored the link between cheat meals and eating disorders. Engagement in cheat meals in the past 12 months was highest among men but the engagement was over 50% for all gender groups indicating a high level of popularity for this practice. Cheat meals consisted of between 1000 – 1500 calories on average, however, we know this number can be much higher. Most individuals engaged in cheat meals around once a week.
The study concluded that engagement in cheat meals in the past 12 months and 30 days was associated with patterns of eating disorder behaviours and psychopathology among all participants, including binge eating behaviours.
Bodybuilding
Other studies have looked at the overall link between bodybuilding and eating disorders.
A study concluded that body image perception and satisfaction in bodybuilders and strength athletes can be impaired by their desire for a certain body weight/shape, leading to disordered eating behaviours. The results linked bodybuilding with a higher vulnerability to disordered eating behaviours. The study also highlights that both professional and non-professional bodybuilders are equally at risk of disordered eating.
The author of the study also shares the following:
“The passion of bodybuilding athletes for a symmetric, lean, heavily muscled body leads them to carry out exhausting exercise programs and restrictive eating regimens.”
Final thoughts:
Bodybuilding has become increasingly popular in recent years with many engaging in the sport in order to align with current beauty trends. The dietary practices, exhaustive exercise regimens and mentality that often accompanies, sets up the conditions for an eating disorder to thrive. Furthermore, disordered eating behaviours are normalised in fitness communities, meaning people are often celebrated for these behaviours.
In practice, we know that many bodybuilders suffer from effects similar to eating disorder sufferers due to the sport. A strong preoccupation with food and body, loss of menstruation for women, loss of sex drive, binge eating, body dysmorphia and more.
To learn more about our approach to recovery and how we can help, click here.
