An Exploratory Investigation of the Body Image and Health Behavior Transition in Retiring Intercollegiate Athletes

Abstract

Because an athletes’ body is central to their identity, it is important to consider the ramifications of retirement from sport on their well-being. Using a single-group pre–post test design, the purpose of this exploratory study was to expand on the current state of knowledge regarding the body image and health behavior transition of retired intercollegiate athletes. Ten athletes from three institutions completed demographic and health behavior questions, the Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire, and selected items from the Body Parts Satisfaction Scale-Revised online prior to and after retirement (M = 305 days). Although most athletes reported maintaining healthy patterns of nutrition and physical activity in retirement, results showed that body satisfaction significantly declined, and that actual–ideal body discrepancy increased, albeit to a nonsignificant degree. National Collegiate Athletic Association athletics departments to consider how they can more effectively empower athletes to take care of and appreciate their body even after the final performance.

Examining the relationship between Exposure to Avengers Action Figures and Men’s Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Disorders in Pakistan

“…Body dissatisfaction remains a pervasive issue influenced by societal standards and media representations, including those portrayed in action figures based on idealized body ideals (Quittkat, Hartmann, Düsing, Buhlmann, & Vocks, 2019). The Avengers movie series, renowned for its portrayal of characters with "perfect" and "supernatural" bodies, exacerbates this phenomenon, leading to detrimental effects on body image perceptions (Galli, Shodahl, & Otten, 2022). Exposure to action figures from the Avengers movie series has been identified as a potential contributor to body dissatisfaction among men, tapping into the innate tendency of individuals to compare themselves to idealized representations.…”

“…As it discusses premise 2, the study investigates the consistent relationship between men's body dissatisfaction and exposure to idealised body images, which are frequently shown in media and popular culture like the Avengers movie series (Quittkat et al, 2019). People who are dissatisfied with their bodies frequently develop disordered eating behaviours in an attempt to achieve the "perfect" bodies that are portrayed in these media portrayals (Galli, Shodahl, & Otten, 2022;Opara & Santos, 2019). The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between men's disordered eating behaviours and body dissatisfaction in Pakistan and their exposure to Avengers action figures.…”

“…Moreover, there was a statistically significant association between eating disorders and body dissatisfaction, highlighting the intricate interactions between these variables. While some research backs up the idea that being around action figures in the media increases body body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors (Galli, Shodahl, & Otten, 2022;Quittkat et al, 2019). For example, Jackson, Llewellyn, and Smith (2020); Smith et al (2021) propose that long-term body dissatisfaction may not always result from exposure to idealised images.…”