Abstract
Severe weight control methods used by high school wrestlers has caused concerns for the wrestlers' growth and performance. To determine the prevalence of utilizing weight control methods, wrestlers and control athletes were studied at a private boarding school. Questionnaires and measurements (height, weight, and skin fold thicknesses) were collected over 2 years. Wrestlers (n=49) were compared to a control group of competitive and non-competitive athletes during the same season: squash players (n=20) and jogging/fitness students (n=38).
The wrestlers used more methods of weight control than did the control group: dieting (p=0.0002), binging (p=0.026), vomiting (p=0.046), sweating (p<0.0001), fluid reduction to <2 cups/day (p=0.0014) by Fisher's Exact Test (1-tail). Fasting ) 24 hrs (p=0.5) and exercising (p=0.1) were not significantly different in the two groups. Neither group used diuretics or laxatives during the sports season. Inspite of the fact that wrestlers' percent body fats were lower than the controls (F=1.41, t=-2.74, p=0.0073), wrestlers perceived that their ideal weight should be less than their present weight (F=1.95, t=-2.30, p=0.024).
The prevalence of extreme methods of weight control and distorted body image documented in this study raises serious concerns about the long term consequences during a critical stage of growth and development.
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Woods, E., Wilson, C. 23 WEIGHT CONTROL METHODS AND DISTORTED BODY IMAGE IN HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLERS. Pediatr Res 19, 114 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00053
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00053