Eating Behaviors, Weight Loss Methods,

¶ … Eating Behaviors, Weight Loss Methods, and Nutrition Practices Among High School Wrestlers The article begins by explaining that wrestling is a sport that requires some necessary components, which include endurance, muscular strength, flexibility and motor conditioning. In conjunction with this a wrestler also has to maintain a specific weight classification, which may pose to be a difficult thing to do. Extreme weight loss has negative effects on the body.

Various methods have been researched regarding how wrestlers cut weight; often a combination of the methods of food restriction, deprivation of liquids, and thermal dehydration. The reading describes a study in which over 80% of 528 high school wrestlers reduced food intake to reduce their weight. 32% of the wrestlers explained that food intake restriction is used rather often as a means of weight lose.

The second study discussed in the article explains that wrestlers in the upper weight class used fluid restriction and dehydration for weight loss in contrast to the wrestlers in the lower weight classes whom incorporated food intake restrictions in conjunction with the methods used by the upper weight class. Additional methods that were mentioned that too are used include vomiting, laxatives, and diuretics in an attempt to control weight.

Another aspect of these extremes to control weight discussed in the article, include the negative impacts that these forms of weight loss have on the body. Researchers indicate that such methods can cause a negative impact on body composition. These methods of weight loss can cause renal failure, electrolyte imbalances, and issues with thermal regulation, nutrient intake and eating behavior issues, testosterone levels, muscular strength, and fluctuations in metabolic rate.

Researchers have also realized that wrestlers tend to know less about nutrition than participants in other sports; college wrestlers lacked a solid understanding of basic nutrition. The reading also states that there is not a lot of research regarding the nutritional and eating habits of athletes. One study in the reading discussed a study done on 17 prep school wrestlers, looking at the pre-event meal analysis. The study found that the mean calorie intake before a game was around 1,517 kcal.

The study went further to explain that the majority of the calories consumed were through sources of junk food i.e. soda, chocolate and candy. The study concluded by making an association between binge eating and episodes of high caloric intake. Statistically the article indicates that on average 12% of high school wrestlers have reported that they have often had episodes of binge eating.

The results found from the above mentioned research is stated to affirm that wrestlers have more of a tendency to have eating disorders because of the lack of knowledge associated with good nutrition and poor eating habits. However it is also mentioned that there are no studies that evaluate this association. Research in the reading further state that on average 4 to 8% of bulimia cases are seen in high school subjects; one of the characteristics associated with those susceptible to bulimia is binge eating.

In contrast to most perceptions binge eating has also been seen in cases of individuals maintaining a normal body weight, under weight and obese. Binge eating though prominently in females has been observed in men. A researcher mentioned that frequent binges that are associated with negative emotions can be associated with more severe eating issues. The research in the article was conducted to study the frequency of binge eating, bulimia, nutrition, and weight loss methods in high school wrestlers.

The three areas where information was compiled included: binge eating behaviors and the prevalence of bulimia, common nutritional beliefs and the use of dietary supplements, and weight fluctuations, weight loss methods, and sources of weight loss information. The methods used to conduct the study included a form letter discussing what the study entailed and asked the prospective participants whether or not they would like to participate if they intended on attending wrestling camp. There was response rate of over 70%. 716 subjects were able to actually participate in the study.

The instruments in the study included a questionnaire utilizing demographic and background information used in old surveys. The questions included inquiries into performance history, and weight loss methods, dietary practices and supplements, as well as questions regarding binge eating and bulimic behavior. Though self-evaluation questionnaires regarding the prevalence of severe eating disorders, including bulimia has rarely been utilized; however a study concerning alcohol use helped to support that in fact self reporting questionnaires are a valid method.

The research utilized factor analysis to determine the convergent validity of the binge scale. 71% of the variance was explained by items representing concerns and guilt about binge eating, and 16% was related to feelings of satiety and the duration of binge eating. Test- retest reliability of the binge scale was .88 and internal consistency was .68. The researcher correlated coefficients for inter-item reliability that ranged from .72 to .84 for purging behavior. Data analysis utilized chi-square analysis and mean comparison between bulimic and non-bulimic wrestlers.

A multiple linear regression was used for mean comparison to overcome the small group size. The binge scores were categorized into high (equal to or more than 10), moderate (6 to 90, and mild (1 to 5). A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the best predictors of the severity of binge eating. The mean age of the participants was 16, the mean height was 168.5 cm, the mean weight 63.9 kgs, and most participants began wrestling in the seventh grade.

The average amount of weight lost to qualify on average was 4.0kg with a standard deviation of 3.7, while the average amount of weight that was gained and lost weekly was 2.3 kg with a standard deviation of 1.7. The amount of weight gained postseason for 425 of the participants on average was 5.6 kg with a standard deviation of 3.4.Results indicated that 55% of the wrestlers lost more than 1.4 kg during the season. For this group the weight loss methods included increased exercise, restricting foods or fluids, or gradual dieting. 32% fasted.

A majority of the participants dehydrated while using heated wrestling rooms or rubber suits; as little as 6% utilized diet pills, 4% vomiting, 3% laxatives, and 3% diuretics. The article explained that the primary source.