No abstract

Background The aim of the study was to evaluate differences in body image across different types of sports in highly trained female athletes. Methods 242 female individuals, aged 13–30 years (M = 20.0, SD = 4.5), representing aesthetic sports (n = 56) and nonaesthetic sports (n = 186), were recruited from different sports clubs in Poland. Body image, BMI, age, the level of competition attained, and the training background of participants were recorded. Results One-way ANOVA showed differences in the body image of athletes engaged in different types of sport (F(11,230) = 4.10, p < 0.001, and η2 = 0.16). The model predicting the body image of female athletes was significant (F(5,236) = 10.40, p < 0.001); the adjusted R2 = 0.163. Type of sport explained 7.1% (β = –0.263, p < 0.001), age explained 4.5% (β = 0.341, p < 0.001), BMI explained 3.6% (β = –0.230, p < 0.001), and level of competition explained 0.9% (β = 0.153, p < 0.05) of variance in body image. Conclusions The findings provide vital new knowledge which can be used by researchers and practitioners in designing educational programs on weight-related behaviors in female athletes. Such programs should be implemented especially in young female athletes participating in high-level sporting activities at an early stage.

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between body image and prevalence of underweight, normal weight, and overweight in adolescents. The study included 1702 girls and 1547 boys, aged 14-16 years, who completed questionnaire assessing body satisfaction. The participants' BMI status: underweight, normal weight or overweight was determined on the basis of BMI cut-off values. Results revealed that more girls (p < .001) showed low body satisfaction (44.8%) and fewer girls (p < .001) had high body satisfaction (17.6%) compared to boys (28.5% and 29.0%, respectively). A two-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between BMI status and gender on body satisfaction F(2, 3243) = 4.10, p = .017, η2 = .003. In boys, body satisfaction was higher in normal weight and underweight in comparison to overweight individuals (p < .001). Underweight girls presented higher body satisfaction than those who were normal weight and overweight (p < .001). Our findings indicated that, in relation to gender, BMI status can be associated with different body satisfaction in adolescents. This should be taken into consideration when designing programs aimed at obesity and disordered eating prevention and body image improvement. Due to the fact that underweight girls and boys have high body satisfaction, this can lead to behaviors that maintain low body weight in adolescents and in turn this may have negative health consequences.

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is synthesized in the cellular nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondria but oxidized into NAD + almost exclusively in mitochondria. Activation of human skin by the 340 nm ultraviolet light triggers natural fluorescence at the light length of 460 nm, which intensity is proportional to the skin NADH content. This phenomenon is used by the Flow Mediated Skin Fluorescence (FMSF) which measures changes in the skin NADH content during transient ischemia and reperfusion. We examined the effects of exercise to exhaustion on the skin changes of NADH in response to 200 s forearm ischemia and reperfusion in 121 highly trained athletes (94 men and 27 women, long-distance running, triathlon, taekwondo, rowing, futsal, sprint running, fencing, and tennis). We found that exercise until exhaustion changes the skin content of NADH, modifies NADH turnover at rest, during ischemia and reperfusion in the most superficial living skin cells. Compared to the pre-exercise, there were significant increases in: mean fluorescence recorded during rest as the baseline value ( B mean ) ( p < 0.001), the maximal fluorescence that increased above the baseline during controlled forearm ischemia (FI max ) ( p < 0.001, only in men), the minimal fluorescence after decreasing below the baseline during reperfusion (FR min ) ( p < 0.001 men; p < 0.01 women) and the difference between B mean and FR min ( R min ) ( p < 0.01), and reductions in the difference between FI max and B mean ( I max ) ( p < 0.001) and I max /IR ampl ratio (CI max ) ( p < 0.001) after the incremental exercise test. There was no statistical difference between pre- and post-exercise the maximal range of the fluorescence change during ischemia and reperfusion (IR ampl ) . In conclusion, exercise to exhaustion modifies the skin NADH content at rest, during ischemia and reperfusion as well as the magnitude of changes in the NADH caused by ischemia and reperfusion. Our findings suggest that metabolic changes in the skin NADH accompanying exercise extend beyond muscles and affect other cells and organs.

The Breast Size Satisfaction Survey (BSSS) was established to assess women's breast size dissatisfaction and breasted experiences from a cross-national perspective. A total of 18,541 women were recruited from 61 research sites across 40 nations and completed measures of current-ideal breast size discrepancy, as well as measures of theorised antecedents (personality, Western and local media exposure, and proxies of socioeconomic status) and outcomes (weight and appearance dissatisfaction, breast awareness, and