Food and alcohol disturbance by athlete status: the roles of drive for thinness, drive for muscularity, and sex

Abstract

Objective This study investigated the association between self-identified athlete status and Food and Alcohol Disturbance (FAD) behaviors, and whether this association was moderated by drives for thinness or muscularity, and sex. Participants 575 individuals (77.6% female, 40.0% identifying as athletes) recruited from a large southeastern university. Methods Participants completed online measures of athletic identity, drives for muscularity and thinness, FAD behaviors, and demographic variables. Results Compared to non-athletes, male athletes with higher drive for muscularity endorsed more alcohol effects behaviors; female athletes endorsed the inverse relationship. Higher drive for thinness was associated with more diet and exercise behaviors among all participants, and extreme weight control behaviors among athletes. Conclusions Athlete status moderated the associations between drives for thinness/muscularity and FAD Alcohol Effects and Extreme Weight Control Behaviors. Regardless of athlete status, college students with higher drive for thinness are at risk for engaging in more FAD Diet & Exercise behaviors.