| Weight Loss Their Greatest Opponent | | | | |
| | | | similar rapid-weight-loss regimens based on |
| --------------------------------- | | | | dehydration. |
| | | | |
| Before high school and college wrestlers can | | | | Wrestlers put on nonpermeable clothing and |
| face their | | | | exercise hard, |
| | | | |
| opponents in the ring, they must first | | | | and then don't rehydrate themselves. This is |
| vanquish one in the | | | | dangerous," |
| | | | |
| locker room, the scales that determine | | | | says Samantha Heller, MS, RD, a senior |
| whether they're | | | | clinical nutritionist |
| | | | |
| eligible to compete in a given weight class. | | | | at New York University Medical Center and an |
| In order to | | | | exercise |
| | | | |
| make the weight they want, many of these | | | | physiologist.Short-term studies have found |
| young athletes are | | | | rapid weight loss can lead to |
| | | | |
| using fasting, dehydration, diet pills, and | | | | a decline in the ability to think clearly, |
| laxatives as | | | | loss of athletic |
| | | | |
| ways to lose weight quickly.How widespread | | | | strength and power, and mood changes, Heller |
| is this potentially deadly practice? A recent | | | | says. No one |
| | | | |
| | | | knows if there are long-term effects, |
| study of wrestlers in Michigan high schools | | | | because long-term |
| found 7 out of | | | | |
| | | | studies haven't been done.The authors of the |
| 10 used at least one possibly harmful weight | | | | Michigan study conclude by saying, |
| loss method | | | | |
| | | | "Altering these entrenched behaviors will |
| each week of the wrestling session -- and | | | | require a unified |
| just over half of | | | | |
| | | | effort by coaches, administrators, parents, |
| them used at least two methods each week. | | | | and wrestlers |
| About a quarter of | | | | |
| | | | throughout the sport."However, some coaches |
| the young wrestlers lost 10 pounds or more | | | | don't see any need for change."Wrestlers have |
| during the | | | | a short-term goal, to make their weight," |
| | | | |
| season, and 11% fasted longer than 24 hours | | | | says Dick Bellock. "They may not eat for a |
| before a match.The study was published in the | | | | day but we all |
| May issue of Medicine and | | | | |
| | | | skip meals once in awhile. Teenage kids get |
| Science in Sports and Exercise."This study | | | | hungry. They |
| reinforces what we've known for years," lead | | | | |
| | | | make weight, they eat right afterward; that |
| author Robert Kiningham, MD, tells WebMD. | | | | isn't |
| "While previous | | | | |
| | | | necessarily binge eating."Bellock wrestled |
| studies have looked at elite, highly | | | | in high school and college and is now the |
| committed wrestlers, we | | | | |
| | | | athletic director of McKay High School in |
| looked at everyone. Disturbingly, we found | | | | Salem, Ore.Bob Ferraro agrees."We already |
| the same | | | | have safety measures in place," says Ferraro, |
| | | | |
| percentage of harmful behaviors as previous | | | | |
| studies of elite | | | | executive director of the National High |
| | | | School Coaches |
| wrestlers, suggesting these behaviors are | | | | |
| widespread."Kiningham is an assistant | | | | Association, based in Easton, Pa. "Every |
| clinical professor and director of | | | | wrestler must be |
| | | | |
| the sports medicine fellowship program at | | | | examined by a physician, and the physician |
| the University of | | | | determines the |
| | | | |
| Michigan School of Medicine in Ann | | | | weight class that wrestler will compete at. |
| Arbor.Many wrestlers try to compete in an | | | | These issues |
| unrealistically low | | | | |
| | | | have already been addressed."Andersen, |
| weight class because they believe this gives | | | | however, believes changes are needed."Today, |
| them a | | | | wrestlers weigh-in hours before or the day |
| | | | before |
| competitive advantage, says Doug Andersen, | | | | |
| DC, nutrition | | | | the match. They should have to weigh-in just |
| | | | beforehand. If |
| consultant for West Coast Sports Performance | | | | |
| and Sports | | | | someone had to wrestle in a dehydrated |
| | | | state, weak as a |
| Medicine Consultants in Manhattan Beach, | | | | |
| Calif., and a | | | | kitten, they wouldn't like it."Since the |
| | | | data was collected for the Michigan study, |
| nutritionist for the Los Angeles Kings | | | | the |
| hockey team."First, wrestlers should qualify | | | | |
| for a sensible weight | | | | state has instituted a new program using |
| | | | mandatory weight |
| class," he says. "If you skip one meal the | | | | |
| day beforehand in | | | | standards based on a measured percentage of |
| | | | body fat. |
| order to drop two or three pounds, that's | | | | |
| one thing. But | | | | Kiningham hopes the new program will be |
| | | | effective in |
| when someone tries to drop tremendous | | | | |
| amounts of weight, 10 | | | | limiting pressures on young wrestlers to |
| | | | engage in unhealthy |
| pounds or more, we're concerned. While they | | | | |
| may not have an | | | | weight-loss behaviors in order to |
| | | | compete.Source: WebMDYou have permission to |
| eating disorder in the strict sense, they | | | | publish this article electronically or |
| certainly have | | | | |
| | | | in print, free of charge, as long as the |
| disordered eating.""In 1997 three healthy | | | | bylines are included. |
| college-age men all died because they | | | | |
| | | | A courtesy copy of your publication would be |
| were trying to make weight for the wrestling | | | | appreciated. |
| team, using | | | | |