Eating disorders are a public health concern because of the high levels of comorbidity with other mental health diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, and the associated suicide risk.1 Athletes are at increased risk for eating disorders compared with the general public2,3 and unique features of both the athlete mindset and the sport environment have been shown to relate to risks for eating pathology, body dissatisfaction, and compulsive exercise.4-10 Eating disorders in sport have a range of serious metabolic and physiologic consequences with negative effects on nearly every organ system in the body.
The prevalence of dietary supplement intake among preadolescent endurance runners is currently unknown.