DESCRIÇÃO DA RELAÇÃO ENTRE A PRÁTICA DA NATAÇÃO E A AUTOIMAGEM CORPORAL EM MULHERES DE CAMPO GRANDE - MS Um Estudo Comparativo entre Mulheres Sedentárias e Ativas

Abstract

ABSTRACT Body image corresponds to the perception that an individual constructs of their own body, being influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors, as well as by the practice of physical activities. Swimming, due to its specific characteristics, may interfere with this body perception, although there are still few studies addressing this relationship in women. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze the relationship between swimming practice and body image perception in women from Campo Grande – MS, comparing swimmers with insufficiently active women. This is a field study with a descriptive design and a quantitative approach. The study included 26 women, divided into two groups: 13 swimming practitioners (G1) and 13 insufficiently active women (G2), aged between 19 and 46 years. Body perception was assessed using the Image Marking Procedure (IMP), and the Body Perception Index (BPI) was calculated. For group comparisons, Student’s t-test for independent samples was used, adopting a significance level of 5% (p < 0.05). The results showed a statistically significant difference only for the head variable (p = 0.002), indicating a greater tendency toward hypo-schematia among swimming practitioners. It is concluded that swimming practice may be associated with specific changes in female body perception, especially regarding head perception, and further studies with larger samples are needed to deepen the understanding of this relationship.