Albassam Reem S, Alahmadi Alaa K, Alfawaz Waad A
Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia.
Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Dec 4;12(23):2439. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12232439.
Disordered eating among athletes and physical activity practitioners is a growing concern that can negatively impact health and performance. Understanding the prevalence and predictors of disordered eating in these populations is essential for developing effective interventions. To investigate disordered eating tendencies among athletes and physical activity practitioners in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Participants from five athletic clubs and six fitness centers were surveyed. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire that included the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire (ANSKQ), and the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Anthropometric data were also collected. The study comprised a sample of 263 individuals, who were divided into two groups: athletes (n = 121) and physical activity practitioners (n = 142). The average age of the participants was 26.41 years with a standard deviation of 8.1 years. Females comprised nearly two thirds of the sample, representing 60.8% of the participants. Physical activity practitioners exhibited higher disordered eating scores compared to athletes. The total EAT-26 scores were significantly higher in practitioners (15.63 ± 4.12) than in athletes (13.21 ± 3.89; < 0.001). Subscale scores for Dieting (8.95 ± 2.73 vs. 7.49 ± 2.58; = 0.001) and Bulimia (3.32 ± 1.15 vs. 2.20 ± 1.03; < 0.001) were also higher in practitioners. BMI was a significant predictor of higher total EAT-26 scores and its subsets, indicating a greater risk of disordered eating behaviors in individuals with higher BMI. Participants with lower levels of sports nutritional knowledge and those engaging in low-intensity physical activities were more likely to exhibit disordered eating tendencies. The findings highlight that physical activity practitioners are at a higher risk of disordered eating compared to athletes. Addressing BMI and improving nutritional knowledge are key strategies for preventing and managing disordered eating behaviors in physically active populations. Interventions targeting these areas may enhance health outcomes and performance among athletes and practitioners.
运动员和体育活动从业者中的饮食失调问题日益受到关注，这可能会对健康和表现产生负面影响。了解这些人群中饮食失调的患病率和预测因素对于制定有效的干预措施至关重要。为了调查沙特阿拉伯利雅得的运动员和体育活动从业者中的饮食失调倾向。对来自五个体育俱乐部和六个健身中心的参与者进行了调查。使用由访谈员管理的问卷收集数据，该问卷包括饮食态度测试（EAT - 26）、简化的运动营养知识问卷（ANSKQ）和全球身体活动问卷（GPAQ）。还收集了人体测量数据。该研究包括263名个体的样本，他们被分为两组：运动员（n = 121）和体育活动从业者（n = 142）。参与者的平均年龄为26.41岁，标准差为8.1岁。女性占样本的近三分之二，占参与者的60.8%。与运动员相比，体育活动从业者的饮食失调得分更高。从业者的EAT - 26总分（15.63±4.12）显著高于运动员（13.21±3.89；<0.001）。节食（8.95±2.73对7.49±2.58；=0.001）和暴食（3.32±1.15对2.20±1.03；<0.001）的子量表得分在从业者中也更高。BMI是EAT - 26总分及其子集较高的一个重要预测因素，表明BMI较高的个体饮食失调行为的风险更大。体育营养知识水平较低且从事低强度体育活动的参与者更有可能表现出饮食失调倾向。研究结果突出表明，与运动员相比，体育活动从业者饮食失调的风险更高。解决BMI问题和提高营养知识是预防和管理体育活动人群饮食失调行为的关键策略。针对这些领域的干预措施可能会改善运动员和从业者的健康状况和表现。
