Exploring adolescents' experiences navigating the intersection of their gender, sport, and dietary identities: an interpretative phenomenological study.

ABSTRACT: Not all adolescents have positive sport experiences. Research has repeatedly identified ties between unfavorable eating patterns and food beliefs (i.e., a dietary identity) that hinder an athletes' health and performance. Gender norms and pressures over idealized bodies (e.g., boys are muscular whereas girls are thin) play a critical role in the manifestation of unfavorable eating habits. However, most research has focused on the experiences of athlete girls in elite sport spaces (e.g., high performance), leaving gaps in our understanding of how diverse youth in high school spaces are impacted. To address this gap, we aimed to explore the intersections between adolescents' sport, dietary and gender identities in high school. We conducted 33 interviews with high school athletes (n = 

SUBMITTER: Deslippe AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11693689 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature