The Effect of Acute Weight Loss on Body Composition, Self-esteem and Appearance Esteem before Competitions

Abstract

Weight loss in human body accompanies physical and psychological differences. In this study, it was aimed to see whether acute weight loss (dehydration) affected self-esteem and appearance esteem in the elite wrestlers before competitions. 38 professional wrestlers who had international competition experiences and were required to be in a lower weight class because of having more than the competition weight, participated in the research voluntarily. 1^st measurement 1 week before the competition, 2^nd measurement during the competition morning when class determination was done in accordance with body weight were performed in the participant wrestlers prior to acute weight loss. In addition to the athletes’ body weight, body mass index (BMI), “the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale” for the determination of their self-esteem levels and “the Appearance Esteem Scale” for the determination of self-esteem associated with appearance were used. The participant wrestlers were professional, they often lost weight before competitions and reached their goal, that’s why they had positive feelings, which gave rise to increases in self-esteem and appearance esteem values after weight loss.

In conclusion, significant differences were found in body weight, BMI, self-esteem and appearance esteem values before and after weight loss (dehydration) of the wrestlers. A positive uprising was determined in the self-esteem and appearance esteem values after the wrestlers’ weight loss. The participant wrestlers were professional, often experienced weight loss before competitions and had targeted weights, that’s why they had positively emotional situations, which led to increases in their self-esteem and appearance esteem values.