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Purpose: This study sought to examine associations between meat-restricted diets and disordered eating cognitions and behaviors in a large sample of university students and assess the relationships between motivations for choosing a vegetarian or semi-vegetarian diet and eating patterns., Methods: University students (n = 1585; 60%F, 40%M, mean age 20.9) completed an online survey; students were categorized into vegetarians, semi-vegetarians, and non-vegetarians. Vegetarians and semi-vegetarians were sub-categorized into groups: those who cited weight or health among their reasons for adopting the diet and those who reported other reasons (e.g., religion). Outcomes were Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) scores and rates of disordered eating behaviors., Results: Vegetarians comprised 8.6% (32M, 104F) and semi-vegetarians comprised 3.2% (6M, 45F) of the sample; 25% of vegetarians (n = 34) and 65% of semi-vegetarians (n = 33) chose the diet for weight or health-related reasons. Semi-vegetarians scored the highest on measures of eating disorder cognitions and were the most likely to report engaging in disordered eating behaviors, with vegetarians at intermediate risk and non-vegetarians the least likely to report disordered cognitions or behaviors. Semi-vegetarians adopting the diet for reasons of weight or health were at especially high risk compared to other semi-vegetarians, while no associations were found between motivations for adopting a vegetarian diet and disordered eating patterns., Conclusion: Semi-vegetarians, especially those adopting the diet for reasons of weight or health, are more likely to exhibit disordered eating cognitions and behaviors compared to vegetarians and non-vegetarians., Level of Evidence: Level III, cohort study., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Purpose: Research concerning eating disorders among adolescent and young adult male athletes is limited compared with female counterparts, but increasing evidence indicates that they may be at unique risk for unhealthy exercise and eating behavior. The current study aimed to characterize unhealthy exercise and eating behavior according to competitive athlete status, as well as per sport type., Method: Collegiate male athletes (N = 611), each affiliated with one of the 10 National College Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I schools in the United States, completed an online survey, reporting on eating and extreme weight control behaviors, and reasons for exercise., Results: Competitive athletes endorsed increased driven exercise and exercising when sick. Baseball players, cyclists, and wrestlers emerged as the sports with the most players reporting elevated Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire scores in a clinical range, and basketball players reported the highest rates of binge eating. overall, baseball players, cyclists, rowers, and wrestlers appeared to demonstrate the greatest vulnerability for unhealthy eating and exercise behavior., Conclusion: Findings revealed differences between competitive and non-competitive male athletes. Among competitive athletes, results identified unique risk for unhealthy eating and exercise behavior across a variety of sport categories and support continued examination of these attitudes and behaviors in a nuanced manner., Level Ii: Evidence obtained from well-designed controlled trials without randomization.

Objective: To identify the effect of duration of weight-bearing exercise and team sports participation on bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition among adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN)., Method: We retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records of all patients 9-20 years old with a DSM-5 diagnosis of AN evaluated by the Stanford Eating Disorders Program (1997-2011) who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry., Results: A total of 188 adolescents with AN were included (178 females and 10 males). Using multivariate linear regression, duration of weight-bearing exercise (B = 0.15, p = 0.005) and participation in team sports (B = 0.53, p = 0.001) were associated with higher BMD at the hip and team sports (B = 0.39, p = 0.006) were associated with higher whole body BMC, controlling for covariates. Participation in team sports (B = - 1.06, p = 0.007) was associated with greater deficits in FMI Z-score. LBMI Z-score was positively associated with duration of weight-bearing exercise (B = 0.10, p = 0.018) and may explain the relationship between exercise and bone outcomes., Conclusion: Duration of weight-bearing exercise and team sports participation may be protective of BMD at the hip and whole body BMC, while participation in team sports was associated with greater FMI deficits among adolescents with AN., Level of Evidence: Level V, descriptive retrospective study.