Anorexia athletica

Anorexia athletica, also called sports anorexia or hypergymnasia, is an eating disorder characterized by excessive and compulsive exercise, often with restricted food intake. It is tied to athletic performance more than to body image, as in anorexia nervosa, and it is more common among elite athletes than the general population. Signs include obsessive attention to calories and weight, self-worth resting on performance, and denial that the exercise is a problem. No single cause is known; genetics, coaches and parents, media pressure and sports that favor leanness, such as gymnastics, ballet and wrestling, all contribute. It is not recognized in the ICD-11 or the DSM-5. Care starts with recognizing the problem, seeing a family doctor, and working with a dietitian.