Comparative Study of the Long-Term Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Nutritional Practices Among International Elite and Sub-Elite Athletes: A Sample of 1420 Participants from 14 Countries

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Taheri M., Saad H. B., Washif J. A., Reynoso-Sánchez L. F., Mirmoezzi M., Youzbashi L., ...Daha Fazla

Sports Medicine - Open, cilt.9, sa.1, 2023 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 9 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1186/s40798-023-00653-w
  • Dergi Adı: Sports Medicine - Open
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Athlete, Health, Infectious disease, Nutrition, Performance
  • Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
  • Trakya Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background: Although several studies have shown that the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown has had negative impacts on mental health and eating behaviors among the general population and athletes, few studies have examined the long-term effects on elite and sub-elite athletes. The present study aimed to investigate the long-term impact of COVID-19 lockdown on mental health and eating behaviors in elite versus sub-elite athletes two years into the pandemic. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted between March and April 2022, involving athletes from 14 countries, using a convenient non-probabilistic and snowball sampling method. A total of 1420 athletes (24.5 ± 7.9 years old, 569 elites, 35% women, and 851 sub-elites, 45% women) completed an online survey-based questionnaire. The questionnaire included a sociodemographic survey, information about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale—21 Items (DASS-21) for mental health assessment, and the Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants (REAP-S) for assessing eating behavior. Results: The results showed that compared to sub-elite athletes, elite athletes had lower scores on the DASS-21 (p =.001) and its subscales of depression (p =.003), anxiety (p =.007), and stress (p <.001), as well as a lower REAP-S score indicating lower diet quality (p =.013). Conclusion: In conclusion, two years into the pandemic, elite athletes were likelier to have better mental health profiles than sub-elite athletes but surprisingly had lower diet quality.