Impact of adolescent dance participation on the development of disordered eating habits

Dancers and adolescents are high-risk groups for developing disordered eating behaviors, making it critical to understand these eating behaviors for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. However, there is limited literature on the impact of adolescent dance participation on the development of disordered eating, with even fewer studies addressing the potential long-term effects. This paper reviews current literature on eating disorders in the context of dance, while integrating insights from a neurocognitive perspective. It identifies the risk factors contributing to disordered eating in adolescent dancers and examines how these behaviors can develop into habits over time. The review suggests that these persistent disordered eating habits pose significant treatment challenges, emphasizing the need to break them early. Effective strategies involve reducing stimuli that reinforce unhealthy behaviors and shifting the dance community’s focus from appearance to health and skill. Long-term effects of disordered eating in adolescent dancers may extend beyond their dance years, potentially impacting brain health. This highlights the need for holistic treatment strategies that address both emotional disorders and disordered eating. Additionally, the review recommends integrating recreational dance into school curricula and community settings to promote collaborative, health-focused activities that enhance adolescent dancers’ well-being and cultural understanding. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies to track the progression of disordered eating in adolescent dancers and their potential development into clinical eating disorders.