Eating disorders and body image in athlete and non-athlete females

Eating disorders and body image significantly impact the physical and mental health of females. This study aimed to compare eating disorders and body image between athlete and non-athlete females. The research design employed a casual-comparative approach. The statistical population included all female students at Mohaghegh Ardebili University in 2019, with 30 female students from the physical education selected through convenience sampling as the athlete group. Additionally, 30 female students without regular physical activity were chosen as the non-athlete group. Data were collected using the Eating Attitudes Questionnaire-26 and the Self-Body Multidimensional Relationship Questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed through multivariate analysis of variance using SPSS software, Version 22. The results revealed that mean scores of eating disorders in female athletes were lower than those in non-athlete females, while the mean scores of body image in athlete females were higher than in non-athlete females (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that exercise can contribute to the reduction of eating disorders and improvement of body image in females.