RISKS OF EATING AND IMAGE DISORDERS ARE CORRELATED WITH ENERGY AND MACRONUTRIENT INADEQUACIES IN YOUTH RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS

Abstract

Rhythmic Gymnastics is an aesthetic sport with specific requirements that can enhance the development of eating disorders, leading to important nutritional inadequacies potentially compromising sports performance and health. Thus, this work aims to analyze associations between the risk of eating disorders and the perception of body image and eating habits in Brazilian national-level rhythmic gymnastics athletes. Eighteen female athletes aged between 12 and 19 responded to two 24-hour food recalls, the standardized Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Body Esteem Scale (BES), and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). There was an association between the risk of eating disorders, distortion of body image, and body mass index (0.51; p = 0.025 and -0.50; p = 0.029). Inverse correlations were found between carbohydrate and lipid intake per kilogram with the risk of eating disorders (-0.69; p = 0.001, and -0.49; p = 0.03) and with body image distortion (-0.63; p = 0.004, and -0.63; p = 0.04). Also, inverse correlations between energy intake per kilogram and the risk of eating disorders (-0.62; p = 0.004) and body image distortion (-0.70; p = 0.001) were found. Our results highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to increase awareness and prevent possible eating disorders in this population.