College Cheerleaders at Risk for Eating Disorders

College cheerleaders spend a lot of time in the spotlight. Besides the crowds that come to see the game, there are often television broadcasts highlighting the spirited co-eds as they rally the spectators to cheer the team and coaches carefully evaluating the image of the cheerleaders.

All of this attention isn’t positive, it turns out. A new study reveals that cheerleaders may have a difficult struggle with body image, and as a result, may be at higher risk for eating disorders.

The study, published in 2010, was led by Toni Torres-McGehee, an assistant professor of athletic training at the University of South Carolina. The study focused on 136 Division-I and Division-II cheerleaders. It examined whether uniform style that showed a bare midriff had any effect on eating disorder symptoms or body image dissatisfaction.

The participating cheerleaders were assessed for weight, height and perceived ideal weight.

The study found that many of the cheerleaders were “highly disposed to eating disorders.” The results indicate that about one-third of the cheerleaders displayed a risk of eating disorder characteristics or behaviors. The cheerleaders who were required to wear a uniform that revealed a midriff were most disposed to having problems with body-image.

Torres-McGehee explains in an article published in LiveScience, “Maladaptive body image and eating behaviors can form during youth and last a lifetime. Teams and coaches should consider the long-term effects of requiring cheerleaders to wear revealing uniforms simply for aesthetic reasons.”

Part of the study’s focus was to determine whether coaches’ and parents’ perceptions had an impact on cheerleaders’ body image. The participants generally appeared to be concerned with the opinions of their coach, with many believing that they weren’t fitting the image that their coach required for body composition.
“The point of collegiate cheerleading is to create camaraderie and team spirit and to keep girls active and healthy,” said Torres-MGehee. “Cheer coaches should keep these ideals in mind and try to reinformace self-esteem among their team members.”
As further study is completed on the role of coaches and uniform selection on the body image of cheerleaders, there may be importance placed on promoting healthy body image on cheerleading teams. It may be possible to train coaches in specialized body image education to help cheerleaders watch for signs of risk of eating disorders.
The study’s results were presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine on June 2, 2010.