Jayne Nisbet says eating disorders in sport are a 'huge issue'
By Alys Bowen
Last Updated: 10/10/17 1:58pm
Former international high-jumper Jayne Nisbet has told Sportswomen there is a "huge, huge issue" of eating disorders in sport.
The six-time Scottish champion was diagnosed with both anorexia and bulimia when she moved to Loughborough to train full time as a high-jumper.
Now retired from elite athletics and working as a personal trainer, Nisbet has said that eating disorders are very common in professional athletes.
"About 1.6 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder and a lot of research has said that about 50% of that is athletes, which is crazy," Nisbet said.
"If you think the chance of someone being an elite athlete, it's like 1% of the population so it's a huge, huge issue."
Nisbet, who was on a waiting list for six months to receive help, believes the way eating disorders and mental health problems are tackled is not productive and conducive to recovery.
"With mental health, people are too quick to put people on pills and not actually to deal with the issue."
Nisbet recovered sufficiently in time to compete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and finished the competition in 10th.
"Even though it didn't go to plan, what I achieved to get there and what it meant to me to get there, healthy and happy was just massive."
Nisbet has now written a book called Free-Ed outlining her issues with eating disorders and mental health problems and hopes it will help others to take their first step to recovery.
