David Proctor and Paula Quatromoni on RED-S in male athletes and diversifying eating disorder care

Social Sport

January 25, 2021

David Proctor is an elite athlete who attended Boston University from 2004-2009 where he was a member of the Track & Field and Cross-Country teams. During his time with the Terriers, David set three individual, school, and New England records, and was a member of three record-breaking relay teams. He was also the first collegiate athlete in New England to run a sub-4-minute mile, set multiple conference records, and was named Conference MVP and the NCAA Eastern Athlete of the Year. David competed in four consecutive Olympic Trials, continues to represent England and Great Britain at the European and World level, and lives in Manchester, UK.
Dr. Paula Quatromoni is an Associate Professor of Nutrition at Boston University and a Registered Dietitian with clinical expertise in sports nutrition and eating disorders. In 2004, she pioneered the sports nutrition consult service for student athletes at Boston University. She’s engaged in research on eating disorders treatment and prevention and is published widely. In 2015, she joined Walden Behavioral Care as a Senior Consultant where she led the creation of the GOALS Program, an Intensive Outpatient Program that treats competitive athletes with eating disorders. Dr. Quatromoni earned both B.S. and M.S. degrees in Nutrition from the University of Maine and a Doctorate in Epidemiology from the BU School of Public Health. Learn more about Paula’s story on the Strong Runner Chicks podcast.
In this episode we discuss:
–David’s story
–Mindset/characteristics that predisposes someone to an eating disorder
–Gaps in research
–Importance of eating disorder screening and detection tools
–“Mary Cain Launches a New Me Too Movement-for Sports” article by Paula
Quotes:
–“If you’re seen to be experiencing an [eating disorder]…you’re behaving as a woman. As if that is something to be ashamed of, as if that’s a shameful way to live your life. It was seen as a women’s problem.” -David Proctor
–“Are we waiting for someone to die before we act on this? Eating disorder research is woefully underfunded compared to other public health problems. We need to step up the research, we need to get more papers into the literature….we cannot continue to let it be something that people whisper about it.” -Paula Quatromoni
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*The RED-S/eating disorder series is sponsored by FEM Protein Powder. You can follow FEM Protein Powder on Instagram @femproteinpowder and you can order online at femproteinpowder.com. Use promo code SOCIALSPORT at checkout to receive 10% off your order.