Episode 152: Research on Eating Disorders in Sport and Athletes with Dr. Paula Quatromoni

Dr. Paula Quatromoni is an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Boston University and Chair of the Department of Health Sciences. She is a Registered Dietitian, a senior consultant for Walden Behavioral Care, and one of the leading experts on eating disorders in athletes. Dr. Quatromoni's research includes a focus on eating disorder prevention and treatment. She has published several papers featuring both clinical care and qualitative research on recovery experiences of athletes. In 2004, she pioneered the sports nutrition consult service for student-athletes at Boston University. In 2016, she led the creation of the Walden GOALS program, an intensive outpatient program treating competitive athletes with eating disorders. Dr. Quatromoni earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Nutrition from the University of Maine and her Doctorate in Epidemiology from the Boston University School of Public Health. Questions we ask Paul include: How did you get into the field of nutrition? What inspired your research with student athletes? How has COVID impacted your work and nutrition for individuals, communities, and/or athletes specifically? Where do you see gaps in sports nutrition education, research, and/or dissemination? In 2017, you were the PI on a research publication titled, “A Tale of Two Runners: A Case Report of Athletes’ Experiences with Eating Disorders in College.” This publication shared the story of two elite athletes, recruited to the same Division I institution track and field program. However, one athlete was a male and the other was a female. Can you share with us some of the differences that the student-athletes experienced in their experiences with their eating disorders due to gender differences? When it comes to RED-S and/or eating disorders in sport, what are some red flags you encourage coaches, parents, and/or athletes to look for? You contributed to a post titled, “3 Ways Coaches Can Help Prevent Eating Disorders in Athletes” on Running in Silence, a platform created by Rachael Steil. What are a few ways you see coaches and/or parents play a key role in preventing and addressing eating disorders? References: What Made Maddy Run - Book by Kate Fagan Nancy Clark Sports Nutrition Guidebook RED-S - IOC Consensus Statement: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/7/491