[1] She continued to climb through the elite ranks over the next four years, placing ninth at the 1988 Olympic Trials, and winning the silver medal in the all-around at the 1989 U.S. National Championships.

[citation needed] She represented the United States at the 1989 World Championships in Stuttgart, placing fourth with the American team, and just missing a medal in the uneven bars final.

The perception of Henrich's weight being too high was fueled further by the culture of elite gymnastics, which was dominated by "pixies"—small, underweight, prepubescent girls.

Desperate to move up the ranks in the highly competitive world of Olympic-level gymnastics, Henrich took the criticisms to heart; her drive to lose a few pounds progressed to disordered eating habits and, eventually, the development of anorexia nervosa.

[6] The focus on gymnast wellness was addressed with several programs on both the national and international levels, such as educational videos, nutrition counseling and classes, to varying degrees of success.