The relationships of social physique anxiety, body image and body composition on the risk of developing eating disorders in youth gymnasts
Date
2005
Authors
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Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
In many aesthetic sports, such as gymnastics, athletic success is dependent to a
great extent upon physical characteristics, specifically small body size and low body fat.
Previous research also suggests that late developing children self-select into sports such
as gymnastics because of the advantages of having this prepubescent physique. One of
the concerns expressed with regard to the pressure that this exerts on a young athlete is
that gymnasts are at risk for body image dissatisfaction and social physique anxiety,
which could lead to disordered eating. Although a number of studies have looked at
these two issues, one physical and one behavioral, in isolation, very few have looked at
them together. The primary purpose of the present investigation was to examine the
relationship of body dissatisfaction and social physique anxiety to the risk of developing
an eating disorder in youth female and male gymnasts. The second purpose was to
investigate the relationship of chronological age, maturity, and body composition to
body image dissatisfaction and social physique anxiety in female and male gymnasts.
The participants included male (n = 42) and female (n = 74) competitive gymnasts from
four different gymnasts clubs within the Saskatoon area. Age, height, and weight were
recorded. Individuals were classified into maturity groups using chronological age
bands. An index of body fatness was obtained by summing either eight or nine skinfold
measures. Body image was assessed by responses to a pictorial questionnaire. Social
physique anxiety, a measure of the anxiety one experiences in response to others
evaluating one's physique, was obtained through a modified Social Physique Anxiety
Scale. Three sub scales of the Eating Disorder Inventory, Body Dissatisfaction, Drive for
Thinness, and Bulimia, were used to measure risk for developing an eating disorder.
Data were analyzed using Person Product Moment Correlations, two-way factorial ANOVA, and Chi-square analysis. Results showed that there was an association
between body image dissatisfaction and the risk for an eating disorder (χ2 = 16.290, p <
0.05) in female gymnasts, but not males (χ2 = 1.493, p > 0.05). No associations were
found between social physique anxiety and the risk of developing an eating disorder in
either female or male gymnasts. When divided into maturity categories again no
associations were found between body image dissatisfaction and maturity groups in
either gender. In females, there was a positive significant correlation (r = 0.50, p < 0.05)
between social physique anxiety and age. In males there was a negative significant
correlation (r = -0.51, p < 0.05) between social physique anxiety and age. When the
gymnasts were banded into three maturational categories, social physique anxiety was
significantly different between maturity groups (F(1,110) = 15.411, p < 0.05) and
genders also showed different patterns of social physique anxiety. In contrast to males,
females with a greater sum of skinfolds experienced higher social physique anxiety
scores. When grouped by sum of skinfolds, social physique anxiety was significantly
different between groups (F2,110) = 192.301, p < 0.05) and genders also showed
different patterns of social physique anxiety. In contrast to females, in males there was
an association between sum of skinfolds and body image dissatisfaction. In conclusion
it was found that these gymnasts were not a risk for developing an eating disorder.
There was also no association between age and body image dissatisfaction in either
females or males; however, social physique anxiety increased with increasing age in
females but decreased with increasing age in males.
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Citation
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
College of Kinesiology
Program
College of Kinesiology