The body image and eating attitudes are objects of interdisciplinary research in recent years, as related to eating disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in body image and eating attitudes in amateur runners and indoors exercisers. The sample consisted of 474 women aged 18-55 years with normal body mass index (BMI, 18.5 to 24.9). The women were divided into three groups based on their sporting activity (amateur athletes, indoors exercisers and control group). Participants completed a battery of questionnaires including Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26, Garner, 1982), Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ, Cash, 2004), Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES, Rosenberg, 1965) and a questionnaire of demographic characteristics. The results indicated that while there were differences in mean scores between the three groups as to their eating attitudes, self-esteem, but also all variables MBSRQ questionnaire, which controls body image characteristics none of the participants showed clinical symptoms. In conclusion, it was evident that the preoccupation with different aerobic sporting activities for women with healthy body weight, was not a determining factor that worked aggravating to the occurrence of negative body image.
body image, eating attitudes, amateur athletes, indoors exercisers, body weight