An exploration of the influence of thinness expectancies and eating pathology on compensatory exercise

• Published in: Eating behaviors : an international journal 2014-08, Vol.15 (3), p.335-338
• Main Authors: Garner, Ashton, Davis-Becker, Kendra, Fischer, Sarah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Body Image - psychology; Bulimia - psychology; Compensatory exercise; Eating - psychology; Eating behavior disorders; Eating pathology; Exercise - psychology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Illness and personality; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Personality, behavior and health; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Self Report; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Thinness - psychology; Thinness expectancies; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-0153; 1873-7358
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2014.04.017

Compensatory exercise (exercise performed in an effort to control weight/shape or in response to caloric intake) and thinness expectancies (beliefs that thinness will improve the overall quality of life) are strongly linked to the development, maintenance, severity, and outcome of eating disorders. There is little literature, however, examining the relationship between compensatory exercise and thinness expectancies. The goal of the current study was to examine whether thinness expectancies contribute significant variance in the endorsement of excessive exercise over and above binge eating, restraint, and shape and weight concerns. A total of 677 undergraduate women (mean age=18.73) completed self-report measures of thinness expectancies and eating disorder symptoms (TREI and EDE-Q). There was a significant association between thinness expectancies and frequency of compensatory exercise behavior. Restraint and subjective binge episodes accounted for significant variance in compensatory exercise. Frequency of objective binge episodes did not, nor did endorsement of thinness expectancies. These findings suggest a potential profile of individuals engaging in compensatory exercise as individuals who actively restrict their diets, feel as if they have binged when they violate those restrictions, and feel the need to excessively exercise to compensate for the subjective binges. •Thinness expectancies were correlated with frequency of compensatory exercise.•Thinness expectancies did not explain incremental variance in exercise.•Restraint and subjective binges explained variance in compensatory exercise.•Results suggest a profile of individuals who engage in compensatory exercise.