IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i6p5228-d1104618.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Sports Involvement on Body Image Perception and Ideals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Luciana Zaccagni

    (Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Prevention, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
    Center for Exercise Science and Sports, University of Ferrara, 44123 Ferrara, Italy)

  • Emanuela Gualdi-Russo

    (Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Prevention, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy)

Abstract

Concerns about body image may affect athletes, mainly because of specific sports models to achieve successful performance. This systematic review reports on body image dissatisfaction (BID) in athletes following the guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. From a total of 887 articles identified through a systematic search of electronic databases, 15 articles conducted on 2412 athletes were included in this review. To be eligible for inclusion, the studies must have been published in the last ten years up until September 2022 and analyze body image perception using body figure drawings and anthropometric profiles. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the adapted Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for observational studies. These studies were compared through thematic analysis of BID to develop four general issues, including gender, sport type and level, and weight status. According to the meta-analyses, the significant medium and small effect sizes found for gender and weight status, respectively, indicated that male athletes had lower BID than females and that, among the latter, normal-weight athletes had a higher BID than underweight ones. The implications and limitations of the included studies are discussed extensively in this review, highlighting the need for further research on BID examined both in the social and the sports contexts. Sports activity should be carried out following healthy lifestyles, and promoting positive BI.

Suggested Citation

  • Luciana Zaccagni & Emanuela Gualdi-Russo, 2023. "The Impact of Sports Involvement on Body Image Perception and Ideals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-20, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:6:p:5228-:d:1104618
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/6/5228/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/6/5228/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Emanuela Gualdi-Russo & Natascia Rinaldo & Luciana Zaccagni, 2022. "Physical Activity and Body Image Perception in Adolescents: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-28, October.
    2. Kaitlyn M. Eck & Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, 2022. "Development and Psychometric Validation of the Athletes’ Perceived Body Pressures from Coaches Questionnaire (APBPCQ)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Stefania Toselli & Natascia Rinaldo & Mario Mauro & Alessia Grigoletto & Luciana Zaccagni, 2022. "Body Image Perception in Adolescents: The Role of Sports Practice and Sex," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-13, November.
    4. Emanuela Gualdi-Russo & Natascia Rinaldo & Sabrina Masotti & Barbara Bramanti & Luciana Zaccagni, 2022. "Sex Differences in Body Image Perception and Ideals: Analysis of Possible Determinants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-13, February.
    5. Dana Badau & Adela Badau, 2018. "Identifying the Incidence of Exercise Dependence Attitudes, Levels of Body Perception, and Preferences for Use of Fitness Technology Monitoring," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-20, November.
    6. Hafrún Kristjánsdóttir & Petra Sigurðardóttir & Sigurlaug Jónsdóttir & Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir & Jose Saavedra, 2019. "Body Image Concern and Eating Disorder Symptoms Among Elite Icelandic Athletes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-11, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dana Badau & Adela Badau & Gabriel Manolache & Mircea Ion Ene & Adriana Neofit & Vlad Teodor Grosu & Virgil Tudor & Radu Sasu & Raluca Moraru & Liviu Moraru, 2021. "The Motor Impact of the Static Balance in the Up Plank Position on Three Different Balls in Physical Activities of Physical Education Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Emanuela Gualdi-Russo & Natascia Rinaldo & Luciana Zaccagni, 2022. "Physical Activity and Body Image Perception in Adolescents: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-28, October.
    3. Rasa Jankauskiene & Migle Baceviciene & Simona Pajaujiene & Dana Badau, 2019. "Are Adolescent Body Image Concerns Associated with Health-Compromising Physical Activity Behaviours?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-13, April.
    4. Stefania Toselli & Natascia Rinaldo & Mario Mauro & Alessia Grigoletto & Luciana Zaccagni, 2022. "Body Image Perception in Adolescents: The Role of Sports Practice and Sex," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-13, November.
    5. Gustavo Api & Rosimeide Francisco dos Santos Legnani & Diogo Bertella Foschiera & Filipe Manuel Clemente & Elto Legnani, 2023. "Influence of Cluster Sets on Mechanical and Perceptual Variables in Adolescent Athletes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-20, February.
    6. Cristina Petisco-Rodríguez & Laura C. Sánchez-Sánchez & Rubén Fernández-García & Javier Sánchez-Sánchez & José Manuel García-Montes, 2020. "Disordered Eating Attitudes, Anxiety, Self-Esteem and Perfectionism in Young Athletes and Non-Athletes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-17, September.
    7. Paula Fernández & José Antonio Labra & María Teresa Méndez & Carmen González & Soraya Coballes & Antonio Souto-Gestal, 2023. "The Moderating Effect of Sex and Age on the Pattern of Body Image by Pre-Adolescents and Adolescents and Its Relationship with the Time They Spend Doing Sports," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:6:p:5228-:d:1104618. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.