Perceptions of role modeling and junk food advertising in elite and sub-elite athletes

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Introduction: Lifestyles of elite athletes are prominent in the media and their actions influence the public, particularly young people. Therefore they may hold an important role in determining healthy behaviours such as physical activity, diet and alcohol consumption. This study examines perceptions of elite and sub-elite athletes regarding the importance of “the spirit of sport”, their role in modeling of healthy behaviours, prevention of obesity in the community and acceptability of junk food advertising.Methodology: Data came from a multiitem, psychometrically tested questionnaire on anti-doping and other health behaviours completed by athletes recruited through National and State Institutes of Sport or via sport governing organizations. Athletes indicated their degree of agreement to six statements on a 5-point Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree (1–5). Scores on each statement were formally compared by gender. Results and conclusions: Six hundred and eighty-two (57.6% male) athletes currently competitive at least at state level in Australia in athletics, basketball, rugby league or swimming completed the questionnaire. Athletes value the “spirit of sport” with almost all (94%) agreeing it is important to them. The majority perceived they should be role models for the general community to be active (92%) and have a role in obesity prevention (63.8%). Despite a fifth (20.9%) believing junk food and alcohol advertising in sport to be acceptable, few (3.7%) thought elite athletes should promote junk food or alcohol. A sizeable minority (19.1%) believed advertising involving high profile athletes promoting junk food or alcohol increases their consumption of such products. Analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant gender effect for three statements: athletes should be role models for the general community to be active (mean: male 4.41; female 4.55, p= .01; acceptability of junk food and alcohol advertising in sport (mean: male 2.83; female 2.28, p< .01) and involvement of elite athletes in product promotion (mean: male 2.03; female 1.59, p< .01) with males less likely to disagree that junk food and alcohol advertising in sport is acceptable and females more likely to agree athletes should be healthy role models. The remaining three statements did not reach statistical significance for gender differences. Overall, elite and sub-elite Australian athletes perceive themselves as having a role in promoting healthy lifestyles to the general public and do not favour junk food or alcohol advertising or involvement of athletes in product promotion. This study is supported by the Department of Health and Ageing through the Anti-Doping Research Program.