Table 2 Comparison of DE prevalence in athletes of sports classified by activity type. “+” indicates activity type defined as lean

Krentz et al., 2013 [6]

Adolescent athletes from elite sports schools and Olympic training centers (n = 65)

+Aesthetic: gymnastics, ice/roller figure skating, ballet, and rhythmic gymnastics

Athletes were administered the Emotional Element of Exercise questionnaire. Results were then analyzed using ANOVA.

DE in males was measured to significantly decrease over time of one year, while females remained constant

Aesthetic sports have higher prevalence of DE in females versus males

Krentz et al., 2011 [9]

Elite athletes (n = 96) vs Control (n = 96) with a mean age of 14.0 years

+Aesthetic vs Control

Cross-sectional study where athletes were administered the EAT-26. Results were then analyzed using ANOVA.

Aesthetic athletes had higher prevalence of DE vs control (p < 0.03); female athletes had higher prevalence of DE than male athletes (p < 0.001)

Aesthetic sports had higher prevalence of DE; females had higher prevalence of DE than males, but both had similar rate of increased prevalence when compared to a control

Chatterton et al., 2013 [31]

United States male college athletes of various levels, mean age 19.91 years (n = 732)

+Endurance, +weight-dependent, ball game

Athletes were administered the Questionnaire for Eating Disorder Diagnosis (Q-EDD). Results were then analyzed using X² analysis.

Weight-dependent sports (44.2%) had higher prevalence of DE than Endurance (12.8%) and Ball Game (16.7%) sports (p < 0.001)

Strong correlation between male weight-dependent sports and higher prevalence of DE

Kampouri et al., 2019 [32]

Greek elite female athletes mean age of 23.10 (n = 129) and female non-athletes (n = 46)

Ball Sport vs Non-Athlete

53 Basketball

42 Volleyball

34 Water Polo

46 Non-athletes

Athletes were administered the Eating Disorders Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Results about inter-sport difference were analyzed using ANOVA.

Using the EC subscale Water Polo athletes had higher scores than basketball or volleyball (p < 0.05)

Water polo had higher prevalence of DE, while other ball sports did not.

Rosendahl et al., 2009 [30]

German athletes (n = 576) and non-athletes aged 14–18 (n = 291)

Lean (n = 228) vs Non-lean (n = 245)

+Endurance, +Aesthetic, +Weight-Dependent, +Antigravitation, Technical, Ball Game, Power

Athletes were administered the EAT-26 questionnaire. Results were then analyzed using logistic regression, unpaired t-test and X² analysis.

Sport types with significant increase in DE were “Antigravitation” when comparing males and “Power” when comparing females.

Power and Antigravitation sports correlate with higher prevalence of DE depending on gender