Renée Despres

According to Renée Despres, the author of the following viewpoint, statistics reveal that eating disorders are a serious problem among female athletes. In fact, claims Despres, most competitive female runners suffer from some type of disordered eating. She states that sports in which slimness is perceived as an advantage—including gymnastics, figure skating, ballet, bodybuilding, rock climbing, and distance running— foster eating disorders. Over-exercise combined with low caloric intake can impair athletes’ performance and mental acuity and cause long-term health problems. Despres is a contributing editor for Women’s Sports & Fitness, a monthly magazine for women who participate in sports.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is “activity anorexia,” as defined by the author"

2. What does Despres cite as the...