Inteligência emocional, comportamento alimentar e imagem corporal: uma análise em atletas de ginástica rítmica

Abstract

Rhythmic gymnastics is an Olympic sport that, by demanding high physical and aesthetic performance, places intense pressure on athletes’ mental health, potentially leading to risk behaviors. In this context, emotional intelligence emerges as a crucial factor for health. This study aimed to investigate the influence of emotional intelligence on eating behavior and body image among rhythmic gymnasts. The research employed a cross-sectional, descriptive, and mixed-methods design. The sample consisted of 37 athletes from states in Northeastern Brazil (mean age = 19.9 ± 1.83 years), who responded to the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21), and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-34). Five athletes participated in semi-structured interviews, analyzed through Bardin’s Content Analysis technique. Quantitative analyses were performed using Jamovi software and relied exclusively on descriptive statistics for sample characterization. In the descriptive results, approximately one-third of the athletes reported some degree of body dissatisfaction (32.4%), while 67.6% reported no dissatisfaction. The median (IQR) scores of the TFEQ-R21 domains were: Cognitive Restraint 44.4 (33.3 – 55.5); Uncontrolled Eating 33.3 (18.5 – 48.1); Emotional Eating 27.8 (16.7 – 55.5). The SSEIT presented a median of 101 (95.0 – 106). Additionally, in the characterization, 75.7% reported having experienced negative comments about their appearance, and 81.1% perceived aesthetic pressure within the sport. The qualitative analysis deepened these findings, revealing that the pressure to achieve an ideal body type (thin and long-limbed) is internalized and generates social comparison, dissatisfaction, and body image distortion. External pressure, exerted by coaches and judges, was manifested through body shaming and rituals such as weigh-ins, which triggered risk behaviors. Emotional states were shown to directly influence eating behavior, with anxiety acting both as a trigger for excessive eating and for appetite suppression. The qualitative narratives suggest that difficulty in emotional regulation, mediated by the intense aesthetic pressure of the sport, is a central factor contributing to the development of risky eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction among rhythmic gymnasts.