The link between exercise dependence and eating disturbance in females

Abstract

Bibliography: leaves 62-69.Although it has been known for some time that excessive exercise is one of the features of eating disorders, it is only in more recent years that specific attempts have been made to explore the link between exercise dependence (compulsive exercising) and eating disturbance. This study explored the relationship between exercise dependence and eating disturbance in females and compared the relative influence on level of eating disturbance of exercise dependence, pressure for thinness, and competitiveness. In order to examine the relationships between these vari~bles, four groups were included in the study: ballet students (n=32), competitive swimmers (n=34), music students (n=33), and a control group of psychology students (n=51). Each group was hypothesised to have different levels of and combinations of exercise dependence, pressures for thinness, and competitiveness: ballet students (pressures to be thin, pressures to exercise, and competitive); swimmers (pressures to exercise and competitive); music students (competitive); and psychology students (control group, presumed to be comparably lower on all three variables). Results indicated that groups with higher levels of exercise dependence did not necessarily show greater eating disturbance (swimmers had relatively high scores on exercise dependence, but had the lowest eating disturbance). Pressures for thinness and factors related to concerns with weight and dieting appeared to be the strongest determinant of eating difficulties, with competitiveness showing little influence on level of eating disturbance