Body image and eating disorders pose significant challenges to the overall health of athletes. However, divergent findings exist regarding the potential association between athletes’ body image and eating disorders. This systematic review aims to examine the relationship between these two variables and identify the modifiers of the association, such as gender, age, race, and exercise type. A search was conducted in five databases (Web of Science, PubMed, APA PsycINFO, ProQuest, and EBSCO), aiming to identify studies on athletes and involved body image and eating disorders in their conclusions. Ultimately, thirty-one studies were included for systematic evaluation. The results of the studies indicate that the relationship between athletes’ body image and eating disorders is complex and inconclusive. In some types of sports, eating disorders can occur even when athletes are satisfied with their body image. Furthermore, female athletes, particularly young female athletes, and athletes involved in sports associated with leanness are more prone to eating disorders and body dissatisfaction. Due to limited resources in this type of research, there is a lack of comprehensive inclusivity across sports disciplines, genders, races, and levels of sports proficiency, which warrants further research.

Background: Weight stigma is linked to a range of adverse outcomes, including reduced engagement in physical activity, yet the psychological pathways underlying these associations remain insufficiently understood. This study examined the relationship between weight stigma and motivation to avoid exercise, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of internalized weight stigma and social anxiety.Methods: A total of 1,397 Chinese university students (aged 17–25) were recruited via the online survey platform Sojump. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing weight stigma, exercise avoidance motivation, internalized weight stigma, and social anxiety. Structural equation modeling was employed to evaluate the hypothesized relationships. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the College of Physical Education, Southwest University.Results: Correlational analyses suggested a partial mediation model, in which weight stigma contributed to exercise avoidance motivation both directly and indirectly via internalized weight stigma and social anxiety. Specifically, higher weight stigma was linked to greater internalized weight stigma (β = 0.45, p < 0.001), which, in turn, was associated with increased social anxiety (β = 0.40, p < 0.001), ultimately leading to heightened motivation to avoid exercise (β = 0.33, p < 0.001).Limitations: The limitations of this study include the use of a cross-sectional design, which precludes causal inferences, and the relatively small number of individuals with a high BMI in the sample, which may limit the broader applicability and generalizability of the findings.Conclusion: We recommend that interventions focus on reducing internalized weight stigma and social anxiety to help individuals overcome exercise avoidance motivation, thereby promoting physical activity and improving mental health.

Spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) is a neurological disorder caused by abnormal brain development or brain injury, and it represents the most common type of motor disability in children. It is primarily characterized by abnormal muscle tone, impaired motor coordination, and restricted motor function, which severely compromise children's health and quality of life. In recent years, task-oriented training (TOT), a rehabilitation approach focused on specific functional goals, has demonstrated significant efficacy in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy. TOT not only improves motor function but also facilitates neuroplastic changes in the brain and spinal cord, thereby enhancing motor control and coordination. Despite growing attention to its therapeutic benefits, the underlying mechanisms through which TOT exerts its effects remain insufficiently understood. This review analyzes the patterns and causes of motor function deterioration in children with SCP and explores the therapeutic role and mechanistic basis of TOT in addressing motor impairments associated with spastic cerebral palsy.

Inviting 210 boxers of national athletes in China as participants, this study applied the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and self-control and self-efficacy scales for athletes to examine the relationship between personality traits and self-control, as well as any effect of self-efficacy as a mediator between the two variables. The data analysis indicated that, firstly, the boxers’ overall level of self-control is high, and the higher the competitive level, the higher the level of self-control. Secondly, there were significant correlations among the Big Five, self-control, and self-efficacy. Thirdly, the mediation model showed that self-efficacy has a significant mediating effect between the Big Five and self-control. These results suggest that formulating training and intervention programs based on the personality traits of boxers and focusing on training their self-efficacy (1) to help them enhance their self-control ability, thereby improving athletic performance and promoting physical and mental health, and (2) to support the inclusion of personality traits, self-efficacy, and self-control among psychological indicators to be assessed in boxers.