Body image and eating disorders in aesthetic sports: A systematic review of assessment and risk

Abstract

Objective: Conduct a systematic review to analyse the assessment of body image perception and risk of developing eating disorders, as a consequence of the practice of aesthetic sports. News: The procedures of this review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Four electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE (Pubmed), Scopus, SportDiscus (EBSCO) and PsycInfo (Ovid). Twenty-five academic studies have evaluated the perception of body image and the incidence of eating disorders in aesthetic sports. Rhythmic gymnastics is the most analysed sport modality; 80.0% of studies were conducted only with women, and the most studied group of athletes are adolescents (61%). Body Shape Questionnaire and Eating Attitudes Test-26 were the most frequently used instruments. In all research, aesthetic sports athletes were found to have disordered eating attitudes and behaviours and therefore at risk of developing eating disorders. In the majority of research on body image perception, athletes showed body dissatisfaction. Conclusion: Aesthetic sports athletes analysed are at risk of developing eating disorders and are dissatisfied with their body image, as well as having a higher risk of developing eating disorders and greater body dissatisfaction with respect to athletes of sports where aesthetics is not as relevant. Rhythmic gymnastics is the most studied sport modality, and the female gender is the most analysed. The EAT-26 is the instrument most frequently used to assess ED, and BSQ test for assessment of body image.