Association between nutritional status, body adiposity, body self-image and risk for eating disorders in female college students athletes of collective sports

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to analyze wheter there is association between body self-image, risk for eating disorders, body fat, and BMI classification in collective sports female athletes. Forty-five basketball, volleyball, handball and futsal athletes participated in the research. We measured weight, height and skinfolds were measures for determining the Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Fat Percentage (%fat). It was used the questionnaires Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). The association analysis was done by Chi-square 2x2 and Fisher's Exact Test (p < 0.05). The mean BMI and %fat were 22.82 ± 2.73 kgm-2 and 23.42 ± 5.10%, respectively. The BSQ was associated with BMI (p = 0.001) and %fat (p = 0.008) and EAT-26 was not associated with any anthropometric variables. It was concluded that overweight and obese athletes had a greater tendency to body self-image distortion, but these athletes did not have the propensity to develop eating disorders.