Bare Tummies Make Cheerleaders Hurl

Apparently school spirit can be a dangerous thing. There’s a report out there that suggests college cheerleaders may face a serious health issue.

According to a new study, college cheeleaders are at risk for developing eating disorders — especially if they expose their midriffs.

LiveScience reports:

The cheerleaders overall were “highly disposed to eating disorders,” the study concludes: 33.1 percent had some risk of eating disorder characteristics and/or behaviors. Cheerleaders on teams with midriff uniforms were most disposed to body-image issues.

Maladaptive body image and eating behaviors can form during youth and last a lifetime,” said study leader Toni Torres-McGehee, an assistant professor of athletic training at the University of South Carolina. “Teams and coaches should consider the long-term effects of requiring cheerleaders to wear revealing uniforms simply for aesthetic reasons.”

Hard to believe that anyone needed a study to tell them that skimpy outfits cause women to freak out about their bodies.