Anxiety, eating disorders and menstrual disturbances risk in Spanish elite female paddlers.

ABSTRACT

Affiliated athletes are frequently subject to higher levels of anxiety due to the intensity of training, competition and many other factors. This anxiety can cause alterations in their health, both physically and mentally, such as menstrual irregularities, eating disorders, etc. In this work we have analysed the anxiety levels of a population of female affiliated paddlers and the possible consequences for their health. The results showed that a third of the female paddlers analysed have a moderate/high risk of suffering from anxiety; and within this group, the less sporting experience the athlete has, the greater the probability is of suffering from anxiety. Moreover, almost half the total of the female paddlers suffers from menstrual dysfunction before an important competition, with this number rising among high performance athletes, even though three out of every four adjust their training schedule to their menstrual cycle. Less-experienced female athletes, who show higher anxiety levels, also present a greater risk of suffering from eating disorders.