Table 2 Reasons for suspicion and confrontation, separately for eating disorders and excessive exercise
From: Responses of fitness center employees to cases of suspected eating disorders or excessive exercise
| Eating disorders | Excessive exercise | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 82 | n (%) | n (%) | |||
| Reasons for suspiscion | Body shape | 63 (76.83) | Reasons for suspiscion | Body shape | 28 (33.15) |
| Mood | 25 (30.49) | Mood | 26 (31.71) | ||
| Clothing | 8 (9.76) | Clothing | 6 (7.32) | ||
| Duration of training | 21 (25.6) | Duration of training | 54 (65.85) | ||
| Frequency of training | 32 (39.02) | Frequency of training | 65 (79.27) | ||
| Type of training | 11 (13.41) | Type of training | 22 (26.83) | ||
| Physical signs | 55 (67.07) | Physical signs | 20 (24.39) | ||
| Behavior | 30 (36.59) | Behavior | 30 (36.59) | ||
| n = 59 | n (%) M | n (%) M | |||
| Types of confrontation | Asked how they were feeling | 38 (64.40) M = 5.5 | Types of confrontation | Asked how they were feeling | 38 (64.40) M = 5.24 |
| Suggested they stop the session | 24 (40.67) M = 1.8 | Suggested they stop the session | 26 (44.06) M = 1.65 | ||
| I showed concern for their health | 43 (72.88) M = 4.32 | I showed concern for their health | 38 (64.40) M = 4.76 | ||
| I gave them health information | 42 (71.18) M = 4.24 | I gave them health information | 39 (66.10) M = 5.10 | ||
| I suggested they take a few days off training | 25 (42.47) M = 3.04 | I suggested they take a few days off training | 36 (61.01) M = 4.77 | ||
| I suggested they leave the gym for the day | 23 (38.98) M = 0.86 | I suggested they leave the gym for the day | 24 (40.67) M = 1.58 | ||
| I forbid them to visit the gym for a few days | 29 (49.15) M = 0.93 | I forbid them to visit the gym for a few days | 23 (38.98) M = 1 | ||
| n = 13 | n (%) | n (%) | |||
| Reasons for avoiding confrontation | I told my boss | 5 (38.46) | Reasons for avoiding confrontation | I told my boss | 2 (15.38) |
| It’s not my responsibility | 2 (15.38) | It’s not my responsibility | 2 (15.38) | ||
| I didn’t know what to say | 5 (38.46) | I didn’t know what to say | 5 (38.46) | ||
| I was worried I would make things worse | 3 (23.08) | I was worried I would make things worse | 1 (7.69) | ||
| Our guidelines forbid it | – | Our guidelines forbid it | – | ||
| My boss/colleagues told me not to | – | My boss/colleagues told me not to | – | ||