OBJECTIVE: The relationship between participation in aesthetic, or appearance-oriented, sports and weight concerns was assessed among young girls. METHOD: Participants were part of a larger longitudinal study and included 197 and 192 girls and their mothers when girls were 5 and 7 years, respectively. At each age, girls' weight concerns and sport participation were assessed and girls were classified as participating in aesthetic sports (dance, gymnastics, cheerleading, baton twirling, swimming, aerobics, figure skating), non-aesthetic sports (volleyball, soccer, basketball, softball, hockey, tennis, martial arts, track) or no sports. RESULTS: Girls in the aesthetic sport group reported higher weight concerns than girls in the nonaesthetic and no sport groups at ages 5 and 7 years. In addition, girls participating in aesthetic sports at ages 5 and 7 years reported the highest weight concerns at age 7. DISCUSSION: Participation in aesthetic, or appearance-oriented, sports may foster a heightened focus on weight and body shape among girls.
© Copyright 2002 International Journal of Eating Disorders. Wiley. All rights reserved.