Resumen

PAREDES, F; NESSIER, C  y  GONZALEZ, M. Body image perception and dangerous eating habits among female ballet dancers from the municipal art academy in Santa Fe city. Diaeta [online]. 2011, vol.29, n.136, pp.18-24. ISSN 1852-7337.

During the past years there has been a dramatic increase in the incidence and prevalence of Eating Disorders. This incidence is higher among demographic groups that perform activities in which the body is used and that demand having a slim body, as in the case of dancers. The objective of the present study was to analyze the body image perception and the abnormal eating habits with risk of anorexia nervosa among a group of 24 female dancers, aged between 13 and 23, attending ballet training courses at the Municipal Art Academy in Santa Fe City. The participants answered a self-administered questionnaire and anthropometric measurements were taken to calculate their BMI. Body images were used to assess the perception the participants had of themselves. 50% of the dancers overestimated their body image by selecting images that did not correspond to their anthropometric parameters. An EAT-40 questionnaire was used to identify eating disorders with risk of anorexia nervosa. The results showed that 58.3% of the dancers were at risk; that is to say, they followed abnormal eating habits; for example, they controlled their food intake and they were afraid of being overweight. The results show that dancers attending ballet training courses belong to a high-risk group, vulnerable to developing anorexia nervosa since more than half classified as "risk" and half presented the precipitating factor "body- image distortion".

Palabras clave : Anorexia nervosa; Body image perception; Abnormal eating habits; Nutritional status; Female dancers.

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