Helpful or harmful? Differences in exercise experiences between those with and without recent disordered eating
Date
2024
Authors
Legg, Nicole
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Abstract
Results remain mixed around if exercise is helpful or harmful among those with eating pathology. As such, healthcare providers often recommend abstinence from exercise for this subpopulation. The current dissertation aimed to illuminate the benefits and consequences of exercise among those with recent, recent disordered eating (DE). Specifically, the study examined 1) if motivations for exercise engagement differ between those with and without recent DE, and between different DE-related concerns; 2) if changes in mood and body satisfaction from pre- to post-exercise differ between those with and without recent DE; 3) if associations between different intensities of exercise and body checking behaviours differ between those with and without recent DE. Participants were Canadian adults and students from UVic (n = 384; Meanage = 26.85, SD = 8.72; 62% female). Participants completed an online baseline survey assessing their demographics, depression and anxiety symptoms, and history of DE. Next, participants completed a 14-day daily monitoring protocol via a smartphone app: participants completed mobile surveys pre- and post-exercise that assessed mood, body satisfaction, duration and intensity of exercise, as well as surveys every evening that assessed engagement in body checking behaviours. Linear and generalized hierarchical linear models were used and all models controlled for relevant demographic and mental health variables. Results revealed that engaging in exercise to avoid negative affect, control weight, improve mood, change how one feels about their body, or follow rules/training expectations, were more strongly endorsed by those with DE relative to without, and by those with greater DE-related concerns relative to those with fewer. Mood and body satisfaction increased for both those with and without DE from pre- to post-exercise, however, those with recent DE experienced smaller mood benefits whereas there was no moderating effect for body satisfaction. Finally, level of exercise was not related to same-day body checking behaviours. Assessing motivations for exercise appears to be clinically relevant for those with DE as exercising to change perceptions of one’s body, avoid distress, and follow rigid expectations may confer risk for exercise to intensify to become disordered. Exercise may be a helpful adjunct treatment to support mood and body satisfaction among those with recent DE, however, the benefits to mood appear to be small. Finally, exercise engagement (no/minimal, light or moderate/vigorous) does not appear to confer risks for increasing same-day body checking behaviours among those with recent DE. Results from the current study inform theoretical understandings of exercise experiences among those with recent DE, along with clinical considerations. Future research would benefit from using more clinically extreme DE groups to substantiate the current results and examining the impacts of different types and formats of exercise on such outcomes.
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Keywords
disordered eating, exercise, motivations