Coaches' Attitudes, Knowledge, and Practices Concerning Weight Loss Behaviors in High School Wrestling

Transcription

1 Pediatric Exercise Science, 1 993, 5, O 1993 Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc. Coaches' Attitudes, Knowledge, and Practices Concerning Weight Loss Behaviors in High School Wrestling Ellen Weissinger, Terry J. Housh, and Glen 0. Johnson High school wrestling coaches (N=161) were surveyed concerning their perceptions of weight loss in wrestlers. Results indicated that a majority of coaches thought that wrestlers lose too much weight, and that only four weight loss methods (increased exercise, skipping snacks, eating smaller meals, counting calories) were endorsed as both effective and safe. However, the coaches also reported that they knew wrestlers engaged in unsafe weight loss methods, and a majority let the wrestler himself make decisions about minimal wrestling weight. The data were interpreted as reinforcing the need for responsible adult supervision of wrestling programs. Previous research has explored the weight loss behaviors of high school wrestlers (4, 6, 7, 8). These studies show consistent evidence of the prevalence of weight loss in this population, demonstrating that 81 to 89% of all wrestlers lose weight before or during the season, and 70% or more wony frequently about their weight. There is also consistency in wrestlers' reports of the prevalence of various weight loss methods. These studies show that high school wrestlers report greater use of all weight loss methods than the general adolescent male population, and report the use of problematic methods such as vomiting and fluid restriction at surprisingly high levels. Wrestlers say their primary motives for losing weight are "making the team" and "winning," yet they also accurately identify the detriments to both health and wrestling performance caused by many weight loss methods. The illogical reasoning portrayed in wrestlers' attitudes about weight loss raises concerns about adult supervision of high school wrestling programs (1, 5). Responses to these concerns have frequently focused on the coach's role. For example, an earlier study (7) suggested that wrestlers' parents often assume that coaches are responsible for problems associated with weight loss. However, no studies have been conducted to assess coaches' perceptions about weight loss. Therefore the purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes, knowledge, and practices of high school wrestling coaches related to weight loss in their wrestlers. Ellen Weissinger is with the Department of Educational Psychology, and Teny Housh and Glen Johnson are with the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

2 146 - Weissinger, Housh, and Johnson Method The population of subjects in this study encompassed all high school wrestling coaches (N=205) in a midwestern state. Coaches were mailed a survey questionnaire during the wrestling season. Total usable sample after the first contact was 129 coaches, and an additional 32 responded to a second follow-up mailing. Thus the final sample size was 161, or 79% of the original population. The sample included coaches from each of the four classes of high schools in the state (i.e., Class A are the largest schools and Class D the smallest). Responses were received from 26 coaches from Class A schools, 52 from Class B, 44 from Class C, and 39 from Class D. In other words, 16% of the sample was from Class A, 32% from B, 28% from C, and 24% from D. The proportions from the sample are similar to the proportions in the total population of 205 schools (15%, 29%, 28%, and 28%, respectively). Respondents averaged 13.3 years of experience as high school wrestling coaches, with a range from 1 to 30 years. Seventy-two percent of the sample reported that they had competed as high school wrestlers and 50% reported college level wrestling competition. When asked how many exercise physiology courses they had taken in college, 21 % reported none, 21 % reported one course, 30% had two courses, and 26% had three or more courses. The three-page questionnaire included items related to coaches' attitudes about weight loss, their coaching practices concerning weight loss, their estimates of the prevalence of various weight loss methods, and their judgments about the effectiveness and dangers of these methods. The study was approved by the university human subjects review board, and participation was voluntary. Results Table 1 summarizes coaches' reported attitudes about weight loss practices in high school wrestling. Coaches are about evenly divided on whether weight loss is harmless, whether too many wrestlers lose weight or feel forced to lose weight, or whether there should be rules regulating weight loss. A majority of coaches agree that some wrestlers lose too much weight and that parents should be involved in weight loss decisions. A majority disagree that weight loss is necessary for a winning team. When asked what they thought was the most important reason that wrestlers choose to lose weight, 58% of coaches said that winning matches (i.e., wrestling in a lower weight class against smaller opponents) was the primary reason, 37% cited making the team, and 5% said that wrestlers primarily lose weight to enhance their health. Coaches were also questioned about the techniques they use to motivate wrestlers to lose weight. A full 96% reported that they help wrestlers plan their weight loss methods, 82% remind wrestlers to lose weight, and 41% tease wrestlers to motivate them. Two percent of the coaches said they provide wrestlers with diuretics and 1% said they provide laxatives. In response to an item asking who made decisions about the weight at which a given wrestler would compete, 5 1% said that the wrestler makes the decision, 34% said the coach does, and 4% said that parents make the final decision. When asked where they obtained information about weight loss methods, coaches reported a variety of sources including other coaches, parents, workshops,

3 Weight Loss in High School Wrestling Table 1 Coaches' Attitudes Concerning Weight Loss (in percentages, n=161) Attitude item Strongly Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree agree Too many wrestlers are losing weight Most weight loss is harmless Wrestlers feel forced to lose weight I'd like to see rules limiting weight loss Some wrestlers lose too much weight Weight loss IS necessary for winning Parents should be involved in weight loss decisions and college courses. The most commonly identified information sources were physicians or nurses (29% said this was their primary source), television or books (21%), and the coach's own experiences as a wrestler (17%). Eighty-nine percent of the sample said they were very confident of their knowledge about various weight loss methods, while only 7% said they were not confident. Of central interest in the survey were five items that assessed coaches' judgments about 15 specific weight loss methods. A preliminary analysis was conducted to determine whether coaches from the four classes (A-D) of schools differed in their responses to these items. To test this relationship, a MANOVA analysis was run for each of the five judgments (recommend the method, method is effective, method helps performance, method is dangerous, percent of wrestlers who use method) concerning the 15 weight loss methods. Each MANOVA employed the 15 relevant judgments as dependent variables and the four classes as the independent variable. Results of these analyses showed that none of the multivariate tests were indicating no differences on the judgments of coaches from different sized schools. Hotelling (2) T-squared values were.703, 1.17, 1.27, 396, and 1.13, respectively, for the five judgments. Further analyses revealed that when a Bonferroni correction for inflated type I error was used, none of the univariate follow-up tests reached Table 2 summarizes descriptive data from four of the judgment items. Coaches were asked to report whether they recommend each method to wrestlers, whether they think the method is effective as a weight loss technique, whether it helps wrestling performance, and whether it is potentially dangerous to wrestlers' health. Results indicate that coaches most often recommend weight loss methods that they perceive as effective and less dangerous. Coaches do not recommend methods if they are perceived as dangerous, even if these methods are also

4 148 - Weissinger, Housh, and Johnson Table 2 Coaches' Judgments About Specific Weight Loss Methods (in percentages, n=161) Recommend Method Method Method this is helps is Weight loss method method effective performance dangerous Exercise more Cut out snacks Skip a meal per week Skip a meal per day Eat smaller meals Count calories Drink less water Use sauna or steamroom Fasting (skip all meals) Spitting Use diet pills Use diuretics Use laxatives Exercise in a rubber suit Vomiting perceived as effective for weight loss. In general, coaches clearly judge most weight loss methods to be detrimental to wrestling performance and seem to have a realistic sense of the danger inherent in some methods. Table 3 compares coaches' and wrestlers' reports of the prevalence of the 15 weight loss methods. Wrestler data are from an earlier study (7) conducted in the same state. Coaches' and wrestlers' reports were compared using a z test for differences between proportions in independent samples. This analysis shows that coaches consistently underestimate wrestlers' use of these weight loss methods. All z tests were significant at the p<.05 level except for coach and wrestler perceptions of the use of laxatives. Discussion Results from this survey of high school wrestling coaches present a picture of the ambiguity with which weight loss is treated in the sport. Most coaches admit that wrestlers feel forced to lose weight, that some wrestlers lose too much weight, and that parents should be more involved in weight loss decisions. In fact, 47% of the sample thought that rules limiting weight loss should be enacted. Only 25% thought that weight loss was necessary for a winning team. Coaches reported using a variety of information sources to learn about weight loss, and most felt confident of their knowledge of this area. In a list of 15 specific weight loss methods, a majority of coaches identified 8 of the methods as dangerous to the wrestlers' health. They recommended only 4 of the methods to their wrestlers

5 Weight Loss in High School Wrestling Table 3 Comparison of Coaches' and Wrestlers' Reports of Use of Weight Loss Methods by Wrestlers (in percentages) Coaches Wrestlers (n=161) (n=l25) z value Exercise more Cut out snacks Skip a meal per week Skip a meal per day Eat smaller meals Count calories Drink less water Use sauna or steamroom Fasting (skip all meals) Spitting Use diet pills Use diuretics Use laxatives Exercise in a rubber suit Vomiting Note. Coaches were asked to estimate the percentage of all their wrestlers who use each method; wrestlers reported their actual use of each method. Wrestler data are from a previous study (7). anonsignificant. and felt that these 4 methods-increased exercise, skipping snacks, eating smaller meals, and counting calories-were the only forms of weight loss that help wrestling performance. These data imply a very positive situation concerning weight loss in high school wrestling. Knowledgeable coaches with appropriate attitudes seem to populate wrestling programs. Yet other data from this study contradict this image. Coaches report, in contrast to their own attitudes, that wrestlers lose weight because they think it increases their chance of making the team and winning matches. They know that wrestlers employ several of the weight loss methods that they as coaches consider dangerous and detrimental. Despite all of this, a majority of coaches reported that the wrestler, not the coach or parents, is allowed to make the final decision about wrestling weight. This tendency to give wrestlers control of weight class decisions is especially worrisome since research has shown wrestlers to be poor judges of their minimal wrestling weight (3). Conclusions from this study are consistent with previous studies of wrestlers' weight loss habits (3,6,7,8). Responsible adult supervision and regulation of high school wrestling programs is obviously required. Only 34% of coaches in this sample disagreed with the need for rules to limit weight loss. And only 6% failed to support the notion that parents need to be involved in weight loss

6 150 - Weissinger, Housh, and Johnson decisions. Thus, high school coaches are added to the list of constituencies calling for greater control over weight loss practices in high school wrestling. References 1. American College of Sports Medicine. Position stand on weight loss in wrestlers. Sports Med. Bull. 11:l-2, Hotelling, H. The generalization of Student's ratio. Annals of Math. Statistics 2: , Housh, D.J., T.J. Housh, G.O. Johnson, and R.J. Hughes. The validity of high school wrestlers' estimations of minimal wrestling weight. Ped. Exer. Sci. 2: , Steen, S.N., and K.D. Brownell. Patterns of weight loss and regain in wrestlers: Has the tradition changed? Med. Sci. Sports 22: , Tipton, C.M. Commentary: Physicians should advise wrestlers about weight loss. Phys. Sportsmed. 15: , Tipton, C.M., and T.K. Tcheng. Iowa wrestling study: Weight loss in high school students. JAMA 21 14: , Weissinger, E., T.J. Housh, (3.0. Johnson, and S.A. Evans. Weight loss behaviors in high school wrestling: Wrestler and parent perceptions. Ped. Exer. Sci. 3:64-73, Woods, E.R., C.D. Wilson, and R. Masland. Weight control methods in high school wrestlers. J. Adoles. Health Care 9: , 1988.