Relationships between body image, nutritional supplement use, and attitudes towards doping in sport among adolescent boys: implications for prevention programs

Abstract

Background

Reports of high levels of use of protein powders and nutritional supplements among young men is a concern because these substances may act as a gateway for the use of drugs and illegal substances to enhance appearance or sports performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between body dissatisfaction, weight change behaviors, supplement use, and attitudes towards doping in sport among an adolescent male sample.

Methods

Participants were 1148 male adolescents (age range 11-21 years) in Australia who completed a self-report questionnaire that measured weight change behaviors, supplement use, body dissatisfaction (Male Body Attitudes Scale; MBAS) and attitudes towards doping in sport (Performance Enhancing Attitudes Survey; PEAS).

Results

There was a positive correlation between MBAS total and PEAS scores (r = .19, p < .001), indicating that the young men who were more dissatisfied with their bodies were more likely to support the use of doping in sport. Young men who were currently attempting weight loss or weight gain, and those currently consuming energy drinks (η p² = .01, p < .01) and vitamin/mineral supplements (η p² = .01, p < .01) were also significantly more supportive of doping in sport. However, those involved in weight lifting, and using protein powders were not (p > .05).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that body dissatisfaction, weight change behaviors, and supplement use are related to more lenient attitudes towards doping in sport among adolescent boys. Future research might examine whether combining educational content for the prevention of body dissatisfaction and the use of drugs in sport may have a greater preventive impact than current programs aimed at young men.

Keywords:

• Body image
• Performance-enhancing drugs
• Image-enhancing drugs
• Nutritional supplements
• Doping
• Male adolescent

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Australian Government 2010-2011 Australian Anti-doping Research Program [ADRP] as 17-USYD-2010-2011 Nutritional Supplements and weight gain behaviors in male adolescents from 2000–2010: Implications for anti-doping interventions and school education.

ZY was based at La Trobe University when this grant was awarded, and conducted data analysis while on a Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the Leverhulme Foundation, to spend one year at the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England in the UK.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Authors’ contributions

J O’D and ZY obtained grant funding for this project. J O’D conducted data collection and instructed research assistants in data entry. ZY prepared data files and conducted data analysis. ZY and J O’D prepared this manuscript for publication. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.