A cross-sectional study of eating attitudes in Hong Kong athletes

Abstract Numerous studies have explored disordered eating (DE) in athletes, yet their findings frequently conflict. This research focused on examining the proportion at risk for DE among HK Chinese athletes. A sample of 100 athletes participated in the study, which employed a cross-sectional design using the EAT-26 questionnaire. The results revealed that the proportion at risk for DE was 4.0%, with female athletes at 7.1% compared to 1.7% in male athletes. Athletes with dieting experience scored higher on EAT-26 compared to athletes without (8.08 ± 9.03 vs. 4.92 ± 5.73, p < 0.05). Young athletes under the age of 19 showed significantly higher EAT-26 scores compared to those aged 19 and older (9.24 ± 11.21 vs. 5.33 ± 5.71, p < 0.05), and lower body image (BI < 5 out of 9) was associated with higher EAT-26 scores compared to higher body image (BI ≥ 5) (11.08 ± 7.88 vs. 5.41 ± 6.99, p < 0.01). Pearson’s correlation analysis demonstrated that age and EAT-26 scores showed a weak negative correlation ( r = -0.234, p < 0.05), while self-perceived BI had a moderate negative correlation with EAT-26 scores ( r = -0.344, p < 0.001). Multiple linear analysis identified age (β = -0.228 , p < 0.05 ) and self-perceived BI (β = -0.344 , p < 0.001 ) as negative predictors of EAT-26 scores. Results indicate higher EAT-26 scores among younger athletes and athletes who had previously attempted dieting methods, suggesting tailored health education programs and screening for different groups. Level of Evidence Level V, Descriptive Study.