Is There Any Relationship Between Body Image Perception, Eating Disorders, and Muscle Dysmorphic Disorders in Male Bodybuilders?

Abstract

Bodybuilding has increasingly become popular between males since male body shape has become a subject of interest in the last decades. Bodybuilders have desired to gain more muscle and paid attention to their body shape. Based on this purpose, they have string rules that include restrictive eating and excessive exercise program. Recent research has demonstrated that desiring more muscular body shape exhibits eating behavior problems and body dissatisfaction issues in bodybuilders. Limited research exists on the relationship between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in male bodybuilders. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between body image disturbance and eating disorders in 120 male bodybuilders. The Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40) was used to determine eating disorders, the Muscle Dysmorphia Disorder Inventory was used to determine bigorexia symptoms, and Bodybuilder Image Grid-Original (BIG O) and Scaled (BIG S) forms were used to detect the factors associated with body dissatisfaction. There was a positive relationship between Eating Attitude Test and Muscle Dysmorphia Disorder Inventory total scores. Eating Attitude Test was positively correlated with both fat and muscle dissatisfaction. Our results indicated that eating disorder psychopathology is positively related to body dissatisfaction and body dysmorphic disorders in male bodybuilders.

Body dissatisfaction, addiction to exercise and risk behaviour for eating disorders among exercise practitioners

“…Such findings corroborate those found by Devrim, Bilgic and Hongu [62], who observed some behaviour related to EDs among fitness participants, highlighting that behaviour is directly associated with BD and body dysmorphic disorder. Nevertheless, Lechner et al [63] observed that college students who practiced aerobic exercises (e.g.…”

Relationship between orthorexia nervosa, muscle dysmorphic disorder (bigorexia), and self‐confidence levels in male students

“…28 The cut-off point of the scale is 39 (minimum 0-maximum 65 points), and scores equal to and greater than 39 reflect strong symptoms of MD. 16 Its reliability and validity studies in our country, Turkey, were carried out by Devrim in 2016, and its Cronbach's α value was found as 0.66. 29,30 In this present study, Cronbach's α value of the scale was determined to be 0.83.…”

“…11,13 Such obsessions with the body can lead to serious clinical disorders, leading to loss of employment, loss of family and friends, or depression, suicide and even death, as well as kidney failure, heart diseases, and damaged self-esteem. [14][15][16] Research has shown that eating disorders and MD show similarities in most ways. 7 Obsession with having more muscle mass in people with MD has been found to cause serious eating disorders at a psychopathological level.…”

A Narrative Review on Female Physique Athletes: The Physiological and Psychological Implications of Weight Management Practices

“…Important risk and trigger factors of poor eating habits in FP athletes may include the focus on aesthetic appearance as the primary performance marker in competition (Sundgot-Borgen and Torstveit, 2004), the peer/media pressure which can elicit body dissatisfaction (Hausenblas et al, 2013) and the influences from coaches with inadequate nutrition knowledge (Sundgot-Borgen, 1994). There is also evidence that FP athletes are particularly vulnerable to DE/ED and body image dissatisfaction because of the preoccupation with being muscular and lean (Devrim et al, 2018).…”