Eating Attitudes, Body Esteem, Perfectionism and Anxiety of Judo Athletes and Nonathletes

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence and relationships between disordered eating, menstrual irregularity, musculoskeletal injuries and psychological characteristics in 24 judo athletes (12 females and 12 males) and 31 controls (14 females and 17 males). All these parameters were assessed by a health/medical, dieting and menstrual history questionnaire, the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Multidimensional perfectionism scale, the Rosenberg Self-esteem, the Body esteem scale, and the Profile of Mood States. Body mass index (BMI) was also computed. Twenty-five percent of female athletes would be “at risk” of EDs (EAT-26 > 20) and 0 % in the other sample groups. Bone injuries sustained over the judo athlete career were reported by 25 % of females and 33.3 % of males, while 35.7 % of the female controls reported bone injuries. The total frequency of menstrual dysfunction among judo athletes was 58.3 %, while 7.1 % of female controls reported oligoamenorrhea. Regression analyses showed that BE-Weight Satisfaction and BMI contributed to 54.6 % and 17 % of the variance, respectively, in the prediction of log-transformed Global EAT scores among female judo athletes. These data indicate that while the prevalence of clinical eating disorders is low in judo athletes, many are “at risk” for an eating disorder, which places them at an increased risk for menstrual irregularity and bone injuries. This study also highlights the relevance of body esteem to eating disorder symptoms.

Key words

Judo athletes - eating disorders - body esteem - perfectionism - menstrual function

References

• 1 Augestad L B, Flanders W D. Eating disorder behavior in physically active Norwegian women.  Scand J Sci Sports. 2002;  12 248-255
• 2 Beals K A, Manore M M. Behavioral, psychological and physical characteristics of female athletes with subclinical eating disorders.  Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2000;  10 128-143
• 3 Beckvid-Henriksson G, Schnell C, Linden-Hirschberg A L. Women endurance runners with menstrual dysfunction have prolonged interruption of training due to injury.  Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2000;  49 41-46
• 4 Brownell K D, Rodin J. Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Athletes. Brownell KD, Rodin J, Wilmore JH Eating, Body Weight and Performance in Athletes. Disorders of Modern Society. Philadelphia; Lea and Febiger 1992: 128-143
• 5 Butcher J. Adolescent girls' sex role development: relationship with sports participation, self-esteem, and age at menarche.  Sex Roles. 1989;  20 575-593
• 6 Byrne N, McLean N. Eating disorders in athletes: a review of the literature.  J Sci Med Sport. 2001;  4 145-159
• 7 Dale K S, Landers D M. Weight control in wrestling: eating disorders or disordered eating?.  Med Sci Sport Exerc. 1999;  31 1382-1389
• 8 DiNicola V F, Roberts N, Oke L. Eating and mood disorders in young children.  Psychiat Clin North Am. 1989;  12 873-893
• 9 Fairburn C G, Beglin S J. Assessment of eating disorders: interview or self-report questionnaire?.  Int J Eat Dis. 1994;  16 363-370
• 10 Ferrand C, Brunet E. Perfectionism and risk for disordered eating among young french male cyclists of high performance.  Percept Motor Skills. 2004;  99 958-967
• 11 Garner D M, Garfinkel P E. The eating attitudes test: an index of the symptoms of anorexia nervosa.  Psych Med. 1979;  9 273-279
• 12 Garner D, Olmsted N, Bohr Y, Garfinkel P. The eating attitudes test: psychometric features and correlates.  Psych Med. 1982;  12 871-878
• 13 Hausenblas H A, Mack D E. Social physique anxiety and eating disorder correlates among female athletic and non-athletic populations.  J Sport Behav. 1999;  22 502-507
• 14 Hewitt P L, Flett G L. Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology.  J Personal Social Psychol. 1991;  60 456-470
• 15 Johnson C, Powers P S, Dick R. Athletes and eating disorders: the National Collegiate Athletic Association Study.  Int J Eat Disord. 1999;  26 179-188
• 16 Keel P K, Mitchell J E, Davis T L, Crow S J. Relationship between depression and body dissatisfaction in women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa.  Int J Eat Disord. 2001;  30 48-56
• 17 Labrecque J, Stephenson R, Boivin I, Marchand L. Validation transculturelle canadienne-française du multidimensional perfectionism scale.  Revue Francophone de Clinique Comportementale Cognitive. 1998;  3 1-14
• 18 Leichner P, Steiger H, Puentes-Neuman G, Perreault M, Gottheil N. Validation d'une échelle d'attitudes alimentaires auprès d'une population québécoise francophone.  Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie. 1994;  39 49-54
• 19 McLaren L, Gauvin L, White D. The role of perfectionism and excessive commitment to exercise in explaining dietary restraint: replication and extension.  Int J Eating Disorders. 2001;  29 307-313
• 20 McNair D, Lorr M, Droppleman L F. Profile of mood states manual. Educational and Industrial Testing Service 1971
• 21 Mendelson B K, White D R, Balfour L. The body-esteem scale for adolescents and adults. Unpublished manuscript. Montreal; Concordia University 1995
• 22 Micklesfield L K, Lambert E V, Fataar A B, Noakes T D, Myburgh K H. Bone mineral density in mature, premenopausal ultramarathon runners.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995;  27 688-696
• 23 Otis C L, Drinkwater B, Johnson M, Loucks A, Wilmore J. American College of Sports Medicine position stands. The female athletes triad.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997;  29 i-ix
• 24 Powers P S, Johnson C. Small victories: prevention of eating disorders among athletes.  Eat Disord J Treat Prevent. 1996;  4 364-367
• 25 Pulkkinen W J. The Sport Science of Elite Judo Athletes: A Review and Application for Training. Canada; Pulkinetics, Inc., Ontario 2001
• 26 Pugliese M T, Lifshitz F, Grad G, Fort P, Marks-Katz J. Fear of obesity. A cause of short stature and delayed puberty.  N Engl J Med. 1983;  309 513-518
• 27 Rosenberg M. Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. Princeton, NJ; Princeton University Press 1965
• 28 Ruggiero G, Levi M, Ciuna A, Sassaroli S. Stress situation reveals an association between perfectionism and drive for thinness.  Int J Eat Disord. 2003;  34 220-226
• 29 Sassaroli S, Maria Ruggiero G. The role of stress in the association between self-esteem, perfectionism, and worry, and eating disorders.  Int J Eat Disord. 2005;  37 135-141
• 30 Schachter S, Rodin J. Obese Humans and Rats. Washington, DC; Erlbaum/Halsted 1974
• 31 Smolak L, Murnen S K, Ruble A E. Female athletes and eating problems: a meta-analysis.  Int J Eat Disord. 2000;  27 371-380
• 32 Sundgot-Borgen J, Torstveit M K. Prevalence of eating disorders in elite athletes is higher than in the general population.  Clin J Sport Med. 2004;  14 25-32
• 33 Terry P C, Lane A M, Warren L. Eating attitudes, body shape perceptions and mood of elite rowers.  J Sci Med Sport. 1999;  2 67-77
• 34 Thiel A, Gottfried H, Hesse F W. Subclinical eating disorders in male athletes.  Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1993;  88 259-265
• 35 Thompson R A, Sherman R T. Helping Athletes with Eating Disorders. Champaign, IL; Human Kinetics 1993
• 36 Thompson J K. Body Image, Eating Disorders and Obesity. An Integrative Guide for Assessment and Treatment. Washington DC; American Psychological Association 1993
• 37 Torstveit M K, Sundgot-Borgen J. The female athletes triad: are elite athletes at increased risk?.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005;  37 184-193
• 38 Vallières E F, Vallerand R J. Traduction et validation canadienne-française de l'échelle de l'estime de soi de Rosenberg.  Int J Psychol. 1990;  25 305-316
• 39 Yeager K Y, Agostini R, Nattiv A, Drinkwater B. The female athlete triad: disordered eating, amenorrhea, osteoporosis.  Med Sci Sport Exerc. 1993;  25 775-777