Eating disorder and sports engagement in individuals playing sports

Abstract

The main purpose of study is to investigate the relationship between the level of sports engagement, eating disorder tendency.  A total of 524 individuals, a mean age of 24±8.00 in study. The data of the study were collected using the personal information form, the scale of engagement to sport, the orthorexia-11 scale. In the analysis of the data, the Independet Sample T-Test was used to compare the paired groups to determine the differences between the groups, One-Way Anova was used to compare the groups of three or more. In determining the effect size of the differences, Cohen d values for T-Test and eta2 values for ANOVA were calculated. Pearson Correlation test was used to determine the relationship between eating disorder tendency, sports engagement  levels. Participants' sports engagement scores; while it did not differ according to gender (p>0.05), it differed branch, level of sports, diet and year of sports (p<0.05). Orthorexic (eating disorder) tendencies of the participants; while it did not differ gender and level of doing sports (p>0.05), it differed branch, dieting status and year of doing sports (p<0.05). It was determined that the sport, history, diet and training frequency were effective on adherence levels, orthorexic tendency, high level of sport adherence increased orthorexic tendency. Considering that people's physical appearance concerns are high, their desire to have a fit appearance due to environmental effects, this is thought to be effective in increasing the level of engagement to sports, orthorexic tendency.