Editorial: Mind, Body, Plate: Investigating Disordered Eating in the Active Population

Gordana Kenđel Jovanović^1*Renata Baric²Alessandra Pokrajac-Bulian³Zrinka Greblo⁴

• ¹Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorsko Goranska County, Rijeka, Croatia
• ²Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
• ³Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
• ⁴Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

disorders, depending on the screening tool for eating disorders they used. The authors showed the usefulness of a short screening tool in detecting eating disorder behaviors among young athletes. Their study confirmed present knowledge that female athletes and those in weight-sensitive sports are particularly vulnerable for the development of eating disorders, making them important intervention athletes' subgroups. The authors highlighted the need for targeted programs to address these challenges and promote healthy eating behaviors among young athletes, while SCAED project deliverables may help enable this achievement. Lifestyle interventions have an important role in addressing eating disorders not only in athletes but also in the active population. Irandoust et al. evaluated the long-term impact of five various lifestyle change interventions among individuals with eating disorders using machine learning models. They showed that counselling combined with exercise and dietary programs is the most effective approach. The study findings highlight the potential of personalized health strategies in treating eating disorders and improving the overall wellbeing of individuals in the active population. In conclusion, the Research Topic Mind, Body, Plate: Investigating Disordered Eating in the Active Population underscores the importance of accessible evidence-based nutritional and psychological support for athletes, particularly female and young ones, both elite and unprofessional, to promote their optimal performance and well-being. Future research should focus on developing comprehensive guidelines and tailored interventions to address the unique nutritional needs and body image challenges of athletes. These efforts are also crucial for coaches, families, and sports medical professionals who play a key role in athletes' well-being. Furthermore, a necessity for more research to explore the effectiveness of various lifestyle interventions in prevention and treating eating disorders and promoting healthy eating behaviors among athletes still stands out. Understanding the predictors and risk factors associated with body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders may enable the development of successful strategies to support athletes' physical and mental health (3), especially young athletes, and contribute to their long-term success in both their athletic and personal lives. Finally, variations in eating disorder prevalence among athletes and the lack of definitive conclusions regarding causes may be due to a lack of sport-specific diagnostic tools (1), thus, developing and validating tools is crucial to effectively identify eating behaviors, psychological symptoms, and risk factors in various sports populations, which ultimately may help to prevent eating disorders (2).