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Adam Rippon is making headlines during these Olympics, and not just for his Bronze medal in men’s figure skating. The athlete spoke with the New York Times at length about his “quiet starvation,” and limiting his diet to only three slices of bread a day to adhere to his standards of body image. “He is willing to talk about his body issues for the same reason that he decided in 2015 to publicly reveal that he is gay,” Karen Crouse writes. “He hopes that by speaking honestly he can help others.” Starting a larger conversation through mass media can help steer or change the minds of younger athletes away from body standards or physiques that might be seen as making for a “better” or “healthier” athlete. This article is one of many that contain more candid discussions of athletes’ histories with eating disorders and the struggles to withstand the pressures of body image within sports, where unhealthy relationships with food can be the norm.
