Does weight change relate to psychological variables and eating behaviours in combat sports?
Eat Weight Disord
; 26(3): 921-930, 2021 Apr.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32451948
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
Athletes who perform combat sports tend to engage in weight-management strategies to fit in a specific weight class that are characterized by disordered eating behaviours. This study aimed to (1) characterize eating behaviours and adaptation to stress regarding an unwanted weight change before a competition; (2) evaluate the differences between athletes who consider unwanted weight changes as a challenge or as a threat in regard to emotions, coping strategies and eating behaviours; and (3) evaluate whether some of these variables related to the unwanted weight change (e.g., emotions, cognitive appraisal of the situation) are predictors of disordered eating behaviours in combat sports.METHODS:
A total of 166 combat sports athletes (75.3% male), aged between 14 and 56 years (M = 22.73; SD = 8.03), filled out a set of questionnaires that evaluated personal variables, cognitive appraisal (threat/challenge), coping, emotions, and eating behaviours related to an unwanted weight change before a competition.RESULTS:
Most of the athletes (57.3%) reported high levels of stress related to the experience of an unwanted weight change before a competition. Athletes who perceived this experience as more of a threat had significantly more eating concerns, anxiety, dejection, anger, active confrontation and emotional support. Athletes who perceived it as more of a challenge experienced more excitement and happiness. Athletes who perceived a high threat and low challenge experienced significantly increased anxiety levels and athletes who perceived this experience as a low threat and the low challenge had decreased anxiety. The desire to weigh less, the perception of a threat regarding weight changes, the ability to cope with denial, and anxiety emerged as predictors of disordered eating behaviours.CONCLUSION:
To prevent or reduce disordered eating behaviours, it is important to promote adequate strategies to deal with weight changes before a competition and, consequently, positive emotions among sports combat athletes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III, case-control analytic study.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Esportes
/
Transtornos da Alimentação e da Ingestão de Alimentos
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article