The Disordered Eating Practices and Body Image Concerns of Elite and Retired Judoka

The aim of this thesis was to gain a greater understanding of the real-life disordered eating and body image experiences of elite and retired judoka. This was achieved through using in-depth qualitative methods to gain an insight into the factors that influence and contribute towards the development of these processes, such as cutting weight. The first study (Chapter 3), aimed to explore and understand the unique cultural dynamics of judo and the relationship cutting weight has with disordered eating behaviours and body image perceptions of elite judokas through using an ethnographic approach to research. Complex relationships between the weight cutting culture, disordered eating, and body image were present within the judo environment, with athletes experiencing many resultant negative affects. Expanding on this study, the second study (Chapter 4) aimed to gain an understanding of the impacts that cutting weight has on judokas into their retirement. Retired athletes experienced a strong athletic and weight category identity, and cutting weight practices were found to be synonymous with disordered eating behaviours, indicating a continuation of cutting weight into retirement. The final study of this thesis (Chapter 5) translated the composite letter from Chapter 4 into an arts-based knowledge translation (ABKT) tool. This study aimed to: 1) Bridge the disordered eating and body image dissatisfaction knowledge-transfer gap, and 2) Disseminate the resources to potential users (i.e., athletes, coaches, parents, and practitioners) to assess its impact. Findings indicated that the resources should be disseminated to individuals inside and outside of sport to help them understand cutting weight practices, and their consequences. The overall findings from this thesis would suggest that those working within judo should consider the long-term psychological impacts from engaging in extreme cutting weight behaviours, and the development of informed guidelines and safe practices. This thesis contributed to existing knowledge through researching an under-researched population (judokas), developing a greater understanding of the culture of judo and its relationship with cutting weight, and discovering the existence of a weight category identity. Furthermore, this thesis expanded methodological contributions through the use of longitudinal, in-depth methods, such as ethnography and letter writing, and translated the knowledge gained into an easily accessible format.