Understanding food choices and eating practices of Brazilian and Spanish athletes in aesthetics and weight class sports

Claudia Ridel Juzwiak

doi:10.1590/s1980-65742021021020

Claudia Ridel Juzwiak

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1980-65742021021020

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Abstract

Aim: This study aimed at understanding determinants of food choices and eating practices of aesthetics and weight class athletes from two countries. Methods: In this qualitative study, through recorded in-depth individual and focal group interviews, gymnasts (n = 16) and martial arts (n = 18) athletes from Brazil and Spain reported their eating practices. Transcripts were analyzed through the Content Analysis method. Results: The main determinants of athletes’ eating practices were the quest for a specific body in line with each sports’ discipline and cultural food aspects. The everyday eating practices respected the country of origin's food culture; however, some practices, especially aiming at weight loss were similar in both countries and related to the sports discipline. Female Brazilian aesthetics athletes were particularly worried about achieving a thinner body. Martial arts athletes from both countries reported adopting fast weight loss strategies presently or at some point in their sports trajectory. Internal and external pressure to lose weight was a constant factor, especially amongst Brazilians. Conclusions: There is a specific body culture in each sport discipline, which extends beyond country borders. The idealized bodies athletes seek are constructed socially according to their sports. This confers them an identity and promotes beliefs and meanings to foodways. The sports-related eating practices which superimposed national foodways were similar in both countries, suggesting a group identity process, and the existence of a “sports discipline's food culture”. Understanding athletes’ determinants of food choices and eating practices provide insights to address the gap between nutritional recommendations and eating practices.

Highlights

According to the state-of-the-art of sports recommendations, nutrition should be adjusted by taking into consideration athletes’ individual aspects regarding health, energy and nutrient needs, physical characteristics, athletic goals, food preferences, and training periodization, as well as athlete's food availability and skills
The main determinants of eating practices of athletes in aesthetics and weight control sports interviewed in this study were the quest for a specific idealized body according to sports’ discipline, and cultural food aspects associated with their country of origin
The results suggest that there is a specific body culture in each sport, which goes beyond country borders, in which the physical bodies that athletes look for are idealized and constructed as social bodies according to their sports discipline

Summary

Introduction

According to the state-of-the-art of sports recommendations, nutrition should be adjusted by taking into consideration athletes’ individual aspects regarding health, energy and nutrient needs, physical characteristics, athletic goals, food preferences, and training periodization, as well as athlete's food availability and skills. Beauty is part of the nature of rhythmic (RG) and aesthetic (AG) gymnastics and it is expected to be seen in athletes’ body (shape, dress, hairstyle, ornaments) and how they use it: discipline and chain of movements, the accuracy of gesture, symmetry, harmony, and timing to the music, the creativity of choreographies, nuances of movements, and use of physical space. All these aspects will be valued for the score in competitions[2]. The adoption of radical measures to ‘cut weight’ is a common practice among combat athletes, who adopt a variety of strategies which include continuous dieting, fasting, and dehydration strategies (i.e., reduced liquid intake, use of sauna, exercising using plastic suits, use of diuretics)[3,4,5,6]

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