The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) among university men and women at different levels of athleticism

• Level of athletic involvement influences eating disorders (ED) psychopathology.
• Competitive athletics may afford some protection against ED psychopathology.
• Engaging in recreational sports in addition may be indicative of very high risk.

The aim of the current study was to establish norms for the Eating Disorder (ED) Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) among competitive athletes and to explore the contribution of level of athletic involvement and gender to ED psychopathology, as measured by the EDE-Q. University students (n = 1637) from ten United States universities were recruited online via a social networking website and asked to complete an anonymous survey. The sample was then divided according to gender and level of sports participation. Females scored higher than males regardless of level of athleticism. Lower mean scores were frequently observed among those involved in competitive sports exclusively and highest scores among those involved in recreational sports (alone or in addition to competitive athletics). Recreational activity seems to be important in stratifying risk among competitive athletes; gender is an important interaction term in athletic populations.