Participation in athletic activities and eating disordered behavior.

The purpose of the following study was to examine the relationship between participation in athletic and exercise activities and eating disordered behavior among a college student population. A sample of 853 undergraduate students completed the EAT-26 and indicated participation in athletic activities to determine eating disorder-related dieting and exercise attitudes and behaviors. Results demonstrate that participation in recreational activities correlates with more deleterious attitudes than involvement in organized sports. Implications for counseling and prevention are discussed.