The importance of the function of exercise in the relationship between obligatory exercise and eating and body image concerns.
This study tested whether exercising in response to negative affect moderates the association between obligatory exercise and eating and body image psychopathology. Participants (n=226) completed the Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire (OEQ), and a question assessing whether they ever exercise in response to negative affect. In total, 132 (58.4%) participants endorsed exercising in response to negative affect. Multiple regression analyses revealed significant main effects of negative affect motivated exercise, OEQ total scores, and gender on all four EDE-Q subscales and significant interactions of negative affect motivated exercise and OEQ scores on the Eating Concern, Shape Concern, and Weight Concern scales but not the Restraint scale of the EDE-Q. Obligatory exercisers may not demonstrate elevated eating and body image concerns in the absence of negative affect motivated exercise, providing further support of the importance of the function of exercise.
De Young
Kyle P
KP
University at Albany, State University of New York, Department of Psychology SS399, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12222, USA. kd897738@albany.edu
Anderson
Drew A
DA
D000339:Affect; D001828:Body Image; D001835:Body Weight; D004435:Eating; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult