Extreme weight control behaviors among adolescent athletes: Links with weight-related maltreatment from parents and coaches and sport ethic norms

The aim of this 2021 study was to investigate whether adolescent athletes are likely to use extreme weight-control behaviors due to the influence of sport ethic norms and weight-related maltreatment from coaches and parents. Recently these two variables have been linked with the use of extreme weight-control behaviors. The 999 French-Canadian athletes (aged 14-17 years) who signed up to this study completed online surveys on conformity to sport ethic norms, behaviors, and potential maltreatment from coaches and parents. Around 17% of the respondents had adopted extreme weight-control behaviors during their athletic careers, while 7.4% experienced at least one type of weight-related maltreatment by coaches or parents. Just under a quarter of the extreme weight-control behaviors were explained by sex- and weight-related mistreatment from coaches and parents, as well as weight-related psychological violence. It was evident that the prevalence of extreme weight-control behaviors was more prevalent among girls than boys (19.75% in girls vs 9.7% in boys). Those adolescents engaging in extreme weight-control behaviors experienced significantly more violence than the other participants did. [NPID: sports, disordered eating, eating disorder, adolescent athletes, weight-control behaviors, maltreatment, violence, ethics]

Year: 2021

Reference: Boudreault, V., Gagnon-Girouard, M. P., Carbonneau, N., Labossière, S., Bégin, C., & Parent, S. (2021). Extreme weight control behaviors among adolescent athletes: Links with weight-related maltreatment from parents and coaches and sport ethic norms. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 101269022110186. https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902211018672

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