BODYBUILDING AND ANXIETY CONTROL IN ADULTS

Abstract

Anxious symptoms are present, at some point, in the lives of individuals, and can be observed in situations of difficulty, insecurity, worry, or even fear. It is an indication, within normal limits, as it works as an alert system for our body. However, when anxious symptoms prolong and intensify, affecting productivity and daily life, they become an illness. In this sense, physical activity, alongside pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, is considered one of the most effective methods for reducing anxiety. This article describes and interprets the causal links between bodybuilding and anxiety control in male and female adults, taking as a reference the analysis of two groups, totaling 40 participants, divided equally into the group of practitioners, attending two gyms installed in the city of Januária, North of Minas Gerais, and in the control group, that is, non-practitioners residing in this same city. This is a descriptive, quantitative and cross-sectional study, whose informative desiderata were supported by the “Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)” questionnaire, composed of 21 (twenty-one) multiple-choice questions. To associate variables, the non-parametric Chi-Square test (p<0.05) was used. The results indicate, in general terms, that the group of bodybuilders had lower levels of anxiety when compared to non-practitioners. On another front, in the specific analyzes of males and females, instances of correlations between the benefits of bodybuilding and anxiety were more present among men, with women having less noticeable correlations.

Key words: Anxiety. Physical activity. Bodybuilding. Gyms. Januária, MG.