Performance enhancement and health最新文献

Objectives

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is characterised by a pathological fixation on healthy eating. Athletes are at a greater risk of developing eating disorders (EDs) and since ON is sharing many features with EDs, is considered an emerging health concern as it might compromise athlete's health and performance. Despite recent interest in orthorexia, there are still a lot of inconsistencies around ON and the sensitivity of the available instruments used to assess ON is questioned. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of two self-reported measures of ON, to assess differences in ON between elite and recreational athletes, and to explore correlates of orthorexic scores among athletic individuals.

Methods

Cross-sectional study of 215 athletes; 59 elite (mean age 26.71 ± 6.83 years) and 156 recreational athletes (mean age 36.13 ± 14.33 years) completed the Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS), Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ), Short Form Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFFQ), Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), and the Hewitt-Flett Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale Short Form (HF-MPS-SF).

Results

Exploratory factor analysis revealed two-factor structures for both the TOS and the EHQ. Elite athletes exhibited higher scores for ‘healthy orthorexia’ (HeOr) (p = .016), ‘knowledge of healthy eating’ (EHQ-Knowledge) (p = .038), diet quality score (DQS) (p = .013) and self-orientated perfectionism scores (p = .032) compared to recreational athletes. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed DQS to be a consistent and significant predictor of all ON symptoms (both TOS and EHQ). BMI was negatively associated with HeOr (β = -.21, p < .001). EAT-26 dieting, bulimia and oral subscales predicted ‘orthorexia nervosa’ (OrNe; smallest p = .015) and ‘problems associated with healthy eating’ (EHQ-Problems; smallest p = .012). Other-orientated perfectionism (OOP) was the only perfectionism construct to predict HeOr (β = .23, p < .01), EHQ-Knowledge (β = .34, p < .001), EHQ-Problems (β = .18, p < .01) and EHQ-Total (β = .27, p < .001).

Conclusions

Findings suggest TOS is a reliable measure of ON symptomatology in athletes and further refinement of the EHQ is required. Improvements in assessment tools, study methodology and classification of athlete characteristics are required to advance our understanding of ON in athlete populations.

The purpose of the current study is to extend the research on the relationship between athletes’ emotional intelligence and sport motivation by focusing on the potential of athletes’ communication satisfaction with their coaches as a mediator in this context. The results of a cross-sectional survey with a sample of 165 South Korean college student-athletes support the hypotheses that student-athletes’ emotional intelligence predicts sport motivation and that communication satisfaction with their coaches mediates this relationship. Implications of the findings and limitations of the study are discussed.

Background

The health and fitness industry has witnessed a rise of influencers on social media promoting a myriad of brands and products, including some promoting anabolic steroids and other performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs). It is currently unclear, however, what type of information and advice social media influencers distribute.

Aim

This study aims to examine the narratives of social media influencers who discuss PIEDs.

Method

The study identified 20 influencers specialized in PIEDs and then made a content analysis of the videos they posted on YouTube.

Findings

While we find several similarities in influencers’ narratives, we also categorize them in three distinct categories: (1) narratives primarily relying on scientific literature and discussing ‘usual’ bodybuilders’ products and doses; (2) narratives primarily relying on the influencers’ personal experience and discussing ‘usual’ bodybuilders products and doses; and (3) narratives primarily relying on the influencers’ personal experience and discussing experimental products and ‘unusual’ doses.

Recommendations

The narrative-typology should be used as a means of identifying high-risk videos on social media platforms like YouTube. Policy-makers should do more to challenge high-risk and potentially harmful discussions. Conversely, reliable discussions ought to be made more visible to ensure they are not overshadowed by flashier and riskier narratives.

The use of use of androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS) is associated with an increased risk of several health conditions. Health-related behaviours to prevent and treat these conditions include the use of needle exchange services, having blood tests to monitor one's health and seeking information and support from health professionals and other sources. This study investigates the prevalence of adverse health conditions and health behaviours in a cohort of AAS users from the United Kingdom taking part in an online survey, as well as behavioural factors impacting the likelihood of reporting a health condition in the last 12 months. The sample was composed of 883 adults (72.1 % males, 27.9 % females; M_ed age = 26, min = 16, max = 65). The most common health problems were dermatological (68.1 %) and neuropsychiatric (63.1 %) conditions. Although the majority of participants monitored their health with blood tests (86.4 %) and sought a General Practitioner (GP) to treat health problems (55.0 %), only a minority of LGBTQIA+ males sought a GP for information (12.8 %) or to treat health conditions (18.7 %). Participants who sought a GP for information about AAS were 74 % less likely to report a health condition in the last 12 months (OR = 0.26, 95 % CI 0.18 to 0.40, p < 0.001). These findings can be used to support research and interventions aiming to improve the access of AAS users to the health system by identifying health conditions and health-related behaviours adopted by subpopulations of AAS users.

Evolutionary pressures have shaped human biology and culture. These concepts can also be applied to the progression of elite sports performance, and the recognizable, constitutive characteristics of individual sports over the last ∼120 years. Athletic performance has improved as the population of participants has increased in both number and visibility. Technology and techniques have emerged and improved, and the science of performance and recovery has expanded to drive elite performance close to physiological limits. Detailed examination of decades of elite performance suggests that with athletic performance near the limits of human physiology, technological, biomedical, or rule changes will be necessary for continued world record progression in some sports. The idea that performance-enhancing substances have not had a substantial impact on the evolution of elite performance is introduced.

In this paper, I examine the theoretical foundations of esports anti-doping policies. Specifically, I focus on the health- and integrity-related arguments on which esports organizations rely to justify their anti-doping efforts and how the arguments relate to esports organizations’ partnership with energy-drink companies. First, I briefly explain the creation and development of anti-doping policies in esports. Subsequently, I identify the theoretical foundations of such policies. Then, I expound how the commercial partnership between esports organizations and the energy-drink industry may impact esports anti-doping theoretical underpinnings. I conclude by critiquing this partnership.

Background

Successful wrestling performance is largely dictated by weight. Some wrestlers engage in rapid weight loss methods to maximize performance at lower weight classes. Data from other sports suggest these methods can negatively affect body image (BI) and physical health and put athletes at risk for disordered eating behaviors, but the actual impact in wrestling is unknown. The present study examined the relationship between perceptions of masculinity and BI to eating disorder (ED) risk in male collegiate wrestlers.

Methods

Survey data were collected from active male NCAA wrestlers (n= 63). Wrestlers completed the Eating Attitudes Test, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, the Hoffman Gender Scale, and three open-ended response items.

Results

ED risk was positively correlated to appearance self-importance (r= 0.361, p < 0.01) and body weight vigilance (r= 0.618, p < 0.01) and negatively correlated to BI satisfaction (r = -0.328, p < 0.05). Gender self-acceptance was correlated to lower importance placed on BI (r= 0.402, p < 0.01). Additionally, 35 (53.9%) participants reported at least one maladaptive eating behavior (e.g. binging, vomiting, laxative use). Qualitative data indicates similarities in traits associated with successful wrestlers and the traditional ideal male (mental and physical strength, toughness, surpassing limits).

Conclusions

The masculine traits exemplified by the sport of wrestling may negatively impact BI and encourage maladaptive eating and/or weight-control behavior and increase ED risk. The information in this study can be used to inform the development of safer weight loss practices and specialized educational programs for ED risk for wrestlers. This study highlights a need for further qualitative analysis of weight-control behaviors in collegiate wrestling.

Introduction

This study aimed to explore qualitatively the psychological experience of recovery from relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S). More specifically, it sought to understand: how RED-S is experienced from a psychological perspective; sources of psychological conflict in the ongoing management of energy availability (EA); and athlete responses to psychological conflict in the pursuit of optimal EA.

Methods

Eight female endurance athletes identifying as “in recovery” or “recovered” from RED-S (M age = 29.78 years) participated in this integrated methods multiple case-study. Participants engaged in an initial topical life history interview, before completing an online diary over a 21-day period, taking photographs of psychological triggers for seven days, and participating in a follow-up interview. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

The theme in too deep and treading water captured the significant psychological implications of RED-S. Seven sources of psychological conflict reported while managing EA were identified. The theme a constant tug of war represented the responses to these sources of psychological conflict in the ongoing management of EA. Within this theme, the subthemes in two minds and an emotional rollercoaster illustrated the cognitive and affective responses to psychological conflict, while giving in and the only way is through represented the adaptive and maladaptive behavioural responses during recovery, respectively.

Conclusion

This study offers novel insights into the complex nature of recovery from RED-S and highlights the importance of considering psychological factors underpinning improved physiological functioning and overall wellbeing during RED-S recovery.