Sporcuların Besin Seçimlerinin Beden İmajı ve Yeme Davranışına Göre Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Athletes are defined as a group of consumers with special dietary needs. The aim of this study is to determine; the factors that athletes generally pay attention to, the differences in athletes' food choice behavior in terms of gender, and body image (dissatisfaction) and/or determining the factor on food choices of athletes that have an eating disorder. Two hundred twenty four professional athletes between the ages of 16-25 became a part of this study. Athletes from different sports branches are involved in the study. The 48.7% of them are from weight-class athletes and 51.3% of them are athletes competing in other sports branches. Athletes general behavior, eating habits, perception towards their body and their attitudes towards food choice is mastered by face to face questionnaire. Their eating behaviors “Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40)”, body images “Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ)”, and food choice attitude “Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ)” identified with the questionnaires mentioned above. Some of the major factors that athletes take into consideration their food choices are; health, body weight control, and sensorial attributes. While women tend to mostly pay more attention to their health and body weight control when choosing food, but men, on the other hand, pays more attention to sensorial attributes and health factors. It is seen that there is no significant difference between the factors that they pay attention to when choosing food according to the age difference of athletes (p<0,05). The major factors that weight-class athletes make on food choices come with; health, body weight control, and sensorial attributes. When it is observed between Athletes food eating behavior disorder and body image disorder; these two disorders are frequently seen among women athletes than males (p<0,05). It is also seen that when choosing food, athletes with the dissatisfaction of body image and/or eating disorder behavior, tends to pay more attention to body weight control factor. In order to better understand the factors in Turkish athletes food selection, it is necessary to do research with athletes in different sports branches