Which condition poses a higher risk for athletes in aesthetic sports, such as figure skating?

The condition that poses a higher risk for athletes in aesthetic sports, like figure skating, is bulimia. Aesthetic sports often place significant emphasis on physical appearance and performance, which can lead athletes to engage in unhealthy eating practices to maintain a certain body image. Bulimia, characterized by cycles of binge eating followed by purging behaviors, is particularly concerning in this context. Athletes may feel pressured to achieve and maintain a specific weight or body shape to excel in their sport, which can lead to the development of eating disorders like bulimia.

In the case of aesthetic sports, athletes are often scrutinized for their appearance during competitions, which can further exacerbate these issues. The prevalence of bulimia amongst athletes in these sports underscores the need for awareness and intervention strategies to address mental health and nutritional support in this population.

While conditions such as drug abuse, presyncope, and asthma can also affect athletes, they do not have the same direct association with the pressures of maintaining appearance that bulimia does, making bulimia the most pertinent risk in the context of aesthetic sports.