Prevelance of Rapid Weight Loss Methods in Combat Sports: Turkish Validity and Reliability of Rapid Weight Loss Questionnaire

Year 2024, Volume: 35 Issue: 1, 1 - 18, 04.06.2024

Selin Aktitiz , Şükran Nazan Koşar , Hüsrev Turnagöl

https://doi.org/10.17644/sbd.1332156

Abstract

This study aims to determine the prevalence of rapid weight loss (RWL) methods in different combat sports. Active male and female athletes from wrestling, taekwondo, boxing, and kickboxing participated in a two-phase study (Reliability study n=93; main study n=271). The first phase involved the Turkish adaptation, validity, and reliability study of the Rapid Weight Loss Questionnaire (RWL-Q) developed by Artioli et al (2010). In the second phase, the RWL-Q was utilized to determine the preferred weight loss methods and their prevalence among different combat athletes. The results indicated that 88.6% of the combat athletes (Wrestling: 79.3%, kickboxing: 91.2%, taekwondo: 88.7%, and boxing: 98.3%) lose weight before the competition. The RWL scores in kickboxing (43.40 ± 14.22) were similar to those in taekwondo (39.94 ± 11.22) (p>0.05), but higher compared to RWL in wrestling (34.11 ± 13.28) (p=0.000) and boxing (34.03 ± 8.46) (p=0.000). Coaches and fellow athletes were the main influencers encouraging the use of RWL methods. The most common methods preffered by athletes were increasing exercise (41.3%) and gradual dieting (31.8%). However, boxers showed a tendency towards more aggressive methods, like spitting (59.3%), sauna (47.5%) and vomiting (42.4%), which differed from other combat sports. In conclusion, this research highlights a high prevalence of RWL methods among combat athletes, with coaches and fellow athletes playing significant roles in influencing their adoption. Therefore, it is evident that athletes and coaches need to be informed about the detrimental effects of rapid weight loss methods in order to increase their awareness and develop alternative weight loss strategies.

Keywords

Rapid weight loss, Wrestling, Taekwondo, Boxing, Kickboxing.

Project Number

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Mücadele Sporlarında Hızlı Kilo Düşme Yöntemlerinin Kullanım Sıklığı: Hızlı Kilo Düşme Anketinin Türkçe Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı, farklı mücadele sporlarında hızlı kilo düşme (HKD) yöntemlerinin kullanım sıklığını belirlemektir. İki evreden oluşan çalışmaya güreş, taekwondo, boks ve kickboks branşlarından birinde aktif kadın ve erkek sporcular katılmıştır (Güvenirlik çalışması n=93; ana çalışma n=271). Birinci evrede, sporcuların HKD yöntemlerini uygulama durumlarını saptayan, Artioli ve arkadaşları tarafından 2010 yılında geliştirilen, HKD Anketinin Türkçe uyarlaması, geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması yapılmıştır. İkinci evrede ise HKD anketi kullanılarak farklı mücadele sporlarında tercih edilen HKD yöntemleri ve kullanım sıklıkları belirlenmiştir. Mücadele sporcularının %88,6’sı (Güreş: %79,3, kickboks: %91,2, taekwondo: %88,7 ve boks: %98,3) müsabaka öncesi kilo verdiğini belirtmiştir. HKD puanları; kickboks branşında (43,40 ± 14,22), taekwondo (39,94 ± 11,22) branşına benzer (p>0,05), güreş (34,11 ± 13,28) (p=0,000) ve boks (34,03 ± 8,46) (p=0,000) branşlarına kıyasla daha yüksek bulunmuştur. HKD yöntemlerinin kullanımını teşvik eden bireylerin başında antrenör (Çok etkili %: kickboks: %63,1; taekwondo: %54,8; güreş: %47,6) ve branş arkadaşları (Çok etkili %: boks: %44,1; taekwondo: %43,5; kickboks: %39,7) gelmektedir. En sık tercih edilen HKD yöntemleri incelendiğinde tüm katılımcılar egzersizi arttırma (%41,3) ve kademeli diyeti (%31,8) her zaman seçerken; diğer branşlardan farklı olarak boksörlerin tükürme (%59,3), sauna (%47,5) ve kusma (%42,4) gibi daha agresif yöntemleri tercih ettiği görülmüştür. Bu çalışmanın sonuçlarından yola çıkılarak, tüm mücadele sporlarında yüksek prevelansa sahip HKD yöntemlerinin olumsuz etkilerine dair sporcu ve antrenörlerin bilgilendirilmesi, farkındalıklarının artırılması ve alternatif kilo düşme stratejilerinin geliştirilmesi gerektiği anlaşılmaktadır.

Keywords

Hızlı Kilo Düşme, Güreş, Tekwando, Boks, Kickboks.

Supporting Institution

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Project Number

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Thanks

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