Examining the eating awareness levels and eating disorders frequency in elite mountaineers

This study was conducted in Bursa and Istanbul with the participation of 30 mountaineers (65.2%) and 16 sedentary (34.8%) between June 2021 and February 2022, to determine eating disorders and awareness of eating in elite mountaineers and to compare them with sedentary individuals. The data was communicated to the participants via e-mail; a questionnaire form was applied. To determine the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, age, gender, body weight, and physical activity information we are requested. The study is based on 3 basic. The first part the Munich Eating Disorders questionnaire, the second part the Eating Awareness Scale, and the last part the 3-Day Food Consumption Record. The data obtained from the questionnaires applied to the participants and the food consumption record were evaluated by using the Mann-Whitney U Test, Pearson Correlation, and Chi-Square test in the SPSS statistical program. When mountaineers and sedentary were compared in terms of the Munich Eating Disorders Scale and sub-dimensions (preoccupation with appearance and weight, binge and vomiting, in appropriate compensatory behavior), no significant difference was found between them. When the Eating Awareness Scale and its sub-dimensions (eat without thinking, emotional eating, eating control, awareness, eating discipline, conscious eating, interference) were compared, no significant difference was found between them. There was no difference in body mass index between mountaineers and sedentary persons (p=0.351). Mountaineering includes ice climbing, rock climbing, camping and hiking in mountainous regions; ıt is a sport made using mountaineering materials and techniques. Nutrition in this sport, includes struggle, risk, difficulty, and endurance; It has great importance in terms of survival, concentration, sportive performance, and motivation. From this point of view, while mountaineers are expected to have higher nutritional awareness and less risk of eating disorders, no difference was found between them and sedentary. In addition, no study has been found on whether elite mountaineers have eating awareness and disorder. Eating awareness and eating disorder studies in athletes in the literature are in sufficient in terms of understanding the subject. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the eating awareness levels and the frequency of eating disorders in elite mountaineers.