Body esteem and eating disorder symptomatology: the mediating role of appearance-motivated exercise in a non-clinical adult female sample.
OBJECTIVE
Low body esteem poses a risk for the development of eating disorder symptomatology. Appearance-motivated exercise, as opposed to health-motivated exercise, has been associated with both low body esteem and eating disorder symptomatology. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of appearance-motivated exercise in the link between body esteem and eating disorder symptomatology.


METHODS
Female fitness club members (N=81) reported their body esteem, eating disorder symptomatology and exercise motives.


RESULTS
Appearance-motivated exercise partially mediated the link between low body esteem and eating disorder symptomatology. In contrast, health-motivated exercise was unrelated to both body esteem and eating disorder symptomatology.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that the motives underlying exercise in response to low body esteem have differential consequences for the potential development of eating disorders, signifying the clinical relevance of considering motives behind exercise.
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. C.D.W.Vinkers@uu.nl
Charlotte D W
CD
Vinkers
Catharine
C
Evers
Marieke A
MA
Adriaanse
Denise T D
DT
de Ridder
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology