nutrients Article Rapid Weight Loss Habits before a Competition in Sambo Athletes Flavia Figlioli 1 , Antonino Bianco 1 , Ewan Thomas 1 , Valdemar Stajer 2 , Darinka Korovljev 2 , Tatjana Trivic 2, Nebojsa Maksimovic 2 and Patrik Drid 2,* 1 Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy; flaviafi[email protected] (F.F.); [email protected] (A.B.); [email protected] (E.T.) 2 Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; [email protected] (V.S.); [email protected] (D.K.); [email protected] (T.T.); [email protected] (N.M.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Background: Like other combat sports, sambo has competition rules that divide athletes into categories based on gender, age and weight. Athletes in combat sports often resort to rapid weight loss (RWL) methods to be more competitive in lower weight categories and gain an advantage against lighter, smaller and weaker competitors. The aim of this study was to examine the method- ology implemented by two different sambo age categories, junior and senior athletes, in order to attain RWL. Methods: The sample consisted of 103 male sambo elite athletes (seniors/juniors: age 28.5 ± 4.3/18.9 ± 0.8; height (m): 1.7 ± 0.1/1.8 ± 0.1; weight (kg): 76.3 ± 17.8/74.4 ± 16.3; BMI (kg/m2): 25.0 ± 3.8/23.7 ± 3.9) who completed a survey on RWL. Results: Athletes reported losing a mean of 5 kg starting approximately 12 days before a competition. The most common methodology reported by senior and junior sambo athletes was gradually increasing dieting, followed by sauna and plastic suit training. Less common methods adopted were laxatives, diuretics, the use of diet pills Citation: Figlioli, F.; Bianco, A.; Thomas, E.; Stajer, V.; Korovljev, D.; and vomiting. There were significant group differences for sauna and diet pill ingestion. Coaches Trivic, T.; Maksimovic, N.; Drid, P. and parents are influential people in the lives of athletes concerning the weight loss strategy to be Rapid Weight Loss Habits before a adopted. Conclusions: This study’s results unequivocally confirm the prevalent practice of RWL in Competition in Sambo Athletes. both senior and junior sambo athletes. Although athletes prevalently chose “less harmful” methods, Nutrients 2021, 13, 1063. https:// there is a need to inform parents and coaches of the risks and benefits of RWL. doi.org/10.3390/nu13041063 Keywords: weight class; combat sports; rapid weight loss Academic Editor: Karen K. Saules Received: 6 February 2021 Accepted: 16 March 2021 1. Introduction Published: 25 March 2021 The term “SAMBO” is the acronym of “CAМозaщитa Без Оружия”, a phrase of Russian origin that means “self-defense without weapons”. Soviet Union troops used this Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral combat sport as a training tool [1]. From a fighting method, sambo became an officially with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- recognized combat sport in the 1940s, as declared by the Committee of Sports Union of iations. Soviet Socialist Republics. After 80 years of growth and development, sambo has obtained worldwide recognition and has been recently temporarily accepted by the International Olympic Committee [2]. In order to allow a more even participation, as for other combat sports, specific weight categories based on gender and age have also been adopted in sambo [3]. Nowadays, sambo has age classes ranging from cadet (14–15–16), youth (16–17– Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. 18 years old) and juniors (18–19–20 years old) to seniors (over 18 years old). Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Many combat sports athletes try to reduce their weight because of competitive and This article is an open access article tactical advantages or psychological reasons, such as increased self-esteem, pleasure and distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons wellness. This turmoil of positive psychophysical feelings in the athlete often turns into Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// rapid weight loss (RWL). Due to these practices, muscular injuries or postural imbal- creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ ances may occur, which would require appropriate evaluation techniques to early detect 4.0/). biomechanical alterations [4,5]. Nutrients 2021, 13, 1063. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041063 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients Nutrients 2021, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 8 Nutrients 2021, 13, 1063 may occur, which would require appropriate evaluation techniques to early detect biome-2 of 8 chanical alterations [4,5]. In this article, particular attention is dedicated to the “cutting weight” issue widely discussedIn this in article, the literature particular and attentiondemonstrated is dedicated in weight to category the “cutting sports weight” [6,7]. Rapid issue widelyweight lossdiscussed (RWL) in can the be literature achieved and by demonstrated different meth inods weight and category behaviors sports (active [6,7 or]. Rapidpassive) weight and alsoloss (RWL)due to caninfluences be achieved from an by external different person methods that and can behaviors encourage (active or teach or passive)ways to andlose weightalso due [7]. to Regardless influences fromof the an type external of combat person sport, that canmethods encourage of inducing or teach RWL ways are to very lose weightsimilar, [often7]. Regardless starting by of reduced the type ingestion of combat of sport, fluids, methods fasting, ofskipping inducing meals RWL combined are very withsimilar, supplementations, often starting by high reduced training ingestion levels, of plastic fluids, suit fasting, training skipping and sauna meals use combined [7–10]. withConsidering supplementations, that sambo is high a contact training sport, levels, the number plastic suit of health training injuries and saunadue to useRWL [7 –may10]. concernConsidering the sport’s that sambo medicine is a contact area. sport, the number of health injuries due to RWL may concernThe thepresent sport’s study’s medicine aim is area. to compare junior and senior sambo athletes regarding the strategiesThe present adopted study’s for rapid aim weig is toht compare loss before junior a competition. and senior sambo athletes regarding the strategies adopted for rapid weight loss before a competition. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1.2. Materials Participants and Methods 2.1. Participants Athletes (n = 483) competing in the World Sambo Championship 2020 (juniors and seniors),Athletes coming (n =from 483) 35 competing different incountries, the World were Sambo asked Championship to voluntarily 2020fill out (juniors an anony- and mousseniors), questionnaire coming from regarding 35 different their countries, RWL strategi werees. asked A total to of voluntarily 199 athletes fill (male out an= 132 anony- and femalemous questionnaire = 67) agreed regardingto participate their in RWL the survey. strategies. For A the total purpose of 199 athletesof this study, (male only = 132 male and female = 67) agreed to participate in the survey. For the purpose of this study, only male athletes were considered. Of the 132 screened male athletes, 17 were excluded for incorrect athletes were considered. Of the 132 screened male athletes, 17 were excluded for incorrect questionnaire compilation. Of the 115 remaining athletes, 103 met the inclusion criteria by questionnaire compilation. Of the 115 remaining athletes, 103 met the inclusion criteria declaring that they intentionally cut their weight prior to competitions. The flow of par- by declaring that they intentionally cut their weight prior to competitions. The flow of ticipants in the study is presented in Figure 1. participants in the study is presented in Figure1. Figure 1. Flow of participants. The questionnaire by Artioli et al. [11] was adopted, consisting of questions regarding personal information, competitive level, weight, diet history and behaviors. All procedures Nutrients 2021, 13, 1063 3 of 8 received the university ethics committee’s approval to maintain the confidentiality and anonymity of the athletes’ responses. The main characteristics of the sambo competitors are shown in Table1. Table 1. Main characteristics of the sambo competitors. Variable Group Mean ± SD Seniors 28.5 ± 4.3 Age (yrs.) Juniors 18.9 ± 0.8 Seniors 1.7 ± 0.1 Height (m) Juniors 1.8 ± 0.1 Seniors 76.3 ± 17.8 Weight (kg) Juniors 74.4 ± 16.3 Seniors 25.0 ± 3.8 BMI (kg/m2) Juniors 23.7 ± 3.9 Seniors 12 ± 6.4 Age began practicing sambo (yrs.) Juniors 10.2 ± 3.2 Seniors 14 ± 6.3 Age began competing sambo (yrs.) Juniors 11.1 ± 3.2 BMI—body mass index; SD—standard deviation. 2.2. Data Assessment Data were collected through a standardized questionnaire, with the aim to examine weight reduction history and weight loss methods adopted by the screened athletes and to investigate if someone’s suggestion influenced RWL strategies. The questions related to weight loss methods included the most commonly adopted strategies [6]. The questions regarding weight reduction history included the amount of weight lost before competitions, the mean period spent prior to the competitions engaged in weight loss, the amount of weight regained following the competition and the age at which athletes started adopt- ing weight loss strategies. The frequency at which these strategies were adopted was subsequently classified as (1) always, (2) sometimes, (3) almost never, (4) never used and (5) not used anymore. Only categories 1 and 2 were considered as “adopted” for the weight loss strategy method. The main source of influence regarding RWL was screened by considering the following categories: teammate, fellow sambist, physician, personal trainer, coach, parents and dietitian. The frequency reported by the athletes regarding the source of influence was categorized as follows: (1) Not influential, (2) Little influential, (3) Unsure, (4) Somewhat influential and (5) Very influential. Only categories 4 and 5 were acknowledged as “influential” and, therefore, considered for the analysis. 2.3. Statistical Analysis Data were analyzed through the SPSS statistical software (ver.