Disordered eating behaviors among CrossFit athletes / Comportamento alimentar desordenado em praticantes de CrossFit

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT Objective: Evaluate differences in disordered eating symptoms between men and women who practice CrossFit and to evaluate its predictors in this population. Methods: A cross-sectional study (April to June 2019) was carried out with 194 adults (103 women and 91 men) enrolled in private CrossFit boxes in Brazil, with a mean age of 30.19 years (SD = 5.34). Participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (disordered eating), the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (body-ideal internalization), and the Drive for Muscularity Scale (drive for muscularity). A series of Student's t-tests was applied to test differences in disordered eating symptoms between men and women. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to evaluate predictors of disordered eating for both sexes. Results: Women showed greater disordered eating symptoms, dietary restrictions and excessive concern about thinness than men. Moreover, younger women with a higher BMI are more likely to have disordered eating symptoms. Higher drive for muscularity and greater general body-ideal internalization were also associated with disordered eating among women. In men, muscularity-oriented behavior was the only predictor of disordered eating. Conclusion: These findings are relevant, as they point out that women who practice CrossFit seem to be a high risk group for the development of eating disorders. In addition, muscularity-oriented behaviors in men and the drive for muscularity, internalization of the ideal body, BMI and age in women are predictors of disordered eating in CrossFit practitioners.

RESUMO

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar possíveis diferenças nos sintomas de transtornos alimentares entre homens e mulheres que praticam CrossFit e seus preditores nessa população. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo transversal (abril a junho de 2019) com 194 adultos (103 mulheres e 91 homens) matriculados em academias de CrossFit particulares de Ribeirão Preto, com média de idade de 30,19 anos (DP = 5,34). Foram respondidos um questionário sociodemográfico, o Eating Attitudes Test-26 (sintomas de transtornos alimentares), o Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (internalização do ideal de corpo) e a Drive for Muscularity Scale (busca pela muscularidade). Resultados: As mulheres apresentaram mais sintomas de transtorno alimentar, maiores restrições alimentares e preocupação excessiva com a magreza. Além disso, mulheres mais jovens com IMC mais alto têm maior probabilidade de apresentar sintomas de distúrbios alimentares. Maior busca pela muscularidade e maior internalização geral dos padrões de corpo socialmente estabelecidos também foram associados com alimentação desordenada entre as mulheres. Nos homens, o comportamento orientado para a muscularidade foi o único preditor dos transtornos alimentares. Conclusão: Esses achados são relevantes, pois apontam que as mulheres praticantes de CrossFit parecem apresentar maior risco para o desenvolvimento de transtornos alimentares. Além disso, comportamentos orientados para a musculatura em homens e a busca pela muscularidade, internalização do ideal de corpo, IMC e idade nas mulheres são preditores de transtornos alimentares em praticantes de CrossFit.