An exploration into the prevalence and experiences of disordered eating and exercise behaviours amongst dancers during vocational/university training / Kathryn Peters (2021)

Disordered eating and exercise behaviours (DEEB) have been sparsely researched amongst undergrade dancers within the past thirty-five years. Due to the lack of qualitative research, it is not fully understood how these behaviours manifest or what the resultant impact is upon the individual. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of binge eating episodes, caloric/energy restriction and excessive exercise amongst undergraduate dancers, in addition to better understanding their lived experiences of DEEB. A mixed methods design was utilised to gather quantitative and qualitative data. A sample of 106 dance students currently participating on undergraduate dance courses completed a questionnaire comprising of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Binge Eating Scale (BES) and the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET). Additionally, semi-structured interviews were carried out with three recent dance graduates. The use of simple descriptive statistics and interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) were employed to evaluate the data. Approximately 30% of current dance students showed signs of DEEB, with a further 16%-43% displaying subthreshold levels. Using IPA, four key themes arose from the interview data: Disordered Behaviours, The Body, Entrapment and Support During Training. Interviewees expressed frustration in the scepticism and lack of awareness around less visible DEEB, and body image played an important role in the development and manifestation of these behaviours. Greater consideration of support systems within HE institutions is warranted to better support dancers during their training. Furthermore, future research such consider the use of longitudinal and qualitative studies to understand the long-term effects of DEEB later on in life.