A Qualitative Examination of Weight Concerns, Eating and Exercise Behaviors in Recreational Exercisers

This study employed the method of qualitative exploration to examine the relationships between body image, exercise and eating behaviors. It also addressed a controversial question in the literature: Do weight and appearance concerns motivate physical activity participation or does participation in physical activity exacerbate weight and appearance concerns? Seven female recreational exercisers (ages 23 to 35) were interviewed about weight and appearance concerns, eating and exercise behaviors. All but one reported past or present disordered eating behaviors. While all of the women cited numerous physical and psychological benefits from physical activity, weight and appearance concerns were important motivators to exercise. For all participants, weight and appearance concerns as well as disordered eating problems led to the adoption of recreational fitness activities and not the reverse.

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Prevalence and characteristics of disordered eating adolescents in cyprus: The influence of body image, situational dysphoria, self-esteem, and the media

The European Journal of Counselling Psychology ◽

10.5964/ejcop.v8i1.216 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 19-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marios Argyrides ◽

Evagelia Alexiou

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Disordered Eating ◽

Eating Behaviors ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Self Report ◽

Future Research ◽

Normal Body Mass Index ◽

Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽

The Media ◽

Eat 26

The purpose of the current study was threefold: a) to collect a very large representative sample of adolescents and assess for their levels of disordered eating behaviors; b) to describe the characteristics of adolescents with disordered eating behaviors in Cyprus based on the measures that were used in the study and c) to compare the adolescents with significant disordered eating behaviors (EAT-26 ≥ 20) to the ones without any disordered eating behaviors (EAT < 20) on all the variables of interest. A total of 2664 secondary school students responded to self-report measures assessing disordered eating, negative body image, situational dysphoria, self-esteem and media influences. Results indicated that 16.04% of the overall sample of adolescents scored significantly on the EAT-26 (21.4% of females and 8.4% of males). Results also indicated that the majority of the adolescents with disordered eating behaviors were female, mainly from average socioeconomic status, normal Body Mass Index and grew up and reside in an urban area. Finally, adolescents in the disordered eating behaviors group scored significantly lower on appearance satisfaction and self-esteem and significantly higher on appearance investment, weight-related anxiety, situational dysphoria, internalization of the thin and athletic ideals as well as feeling pressured from the media and considering the media as a good source of information. In conclusion, results indicate a substantial difference in levels of disordered eating in adolescents as compared to previous research in Cyprus. Possible explanations are addressed as well as implications for prevention strategies and future research ideas based on the findings.

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Prevalence of disordered eating behaviors, body image dissatisfaction, and associated factors among Thai female undergraduate students

International Journal of Health Promotion and Education ◽

10.1080/14635240.2012.758883 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 151-160 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Pattanawadee Pattanathaburt ◽

Ratana Somrongthong ◽

Chulanee Thianthai

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Disordered Eating ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Eating Behaviors ◽

Body Image Dissatisfaction ◽

Female Undergraduate ◽

Disordered Eating Behaviors

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Defensive Responses to Early Memories with Peers: a Possible Pathway to Disordered Eating

The Spanish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1017/sjp.2016.45 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 19 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Cláudia Ferreira ◽

Joana Marta-Simões ◽

Inês A. Trindade

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Disordered Eating ◽

Eating Behaviors ◽

Early Memories ◽

Self Presentation ◽

Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽

Defensive Responses ◽

Mediator Role ◽

Mental Health Difficulties ◽

Positive Memories

AbstractChildhood and early adolescence experiences, specifically those that provide an adulthood enriched with warm and safe memories, are consistently stated in literature as powerful emotional regulators. In contrast, individuals who scarcely recall positive experiences may begin to believe that others see the self as inferior, inadequate and unattractive. In order to cope with a perceived loss of social desirability and achieve other’s acceptance, individuals may become submissive, and women, particularly, may resort to the presentation of a perfect body image. Both mechanisms are defensive responses suggested to be associated with mental health difficulties, particularly disordered eating behaviors. The present study aimed at exploring the association between early memories of warmth and safeness with peers and eating psychopathology. Also, a path analysis was conducted to investigate the mediator role of submissiveness and perfectionistic self-presentation focused on body image on this association, in a sample of 342 female students. Results revealed that the absence of early positive memories with peers holds a significant effect over eating psychopathology’s severity, and also that this effect is mediated through submissiveness and body image-related perfectionistic self-presentation. This model accounted for 13%, 19% and 51% of submissiveness, perfectionistic self-presentation of body image and eating psychopathology’s variances, respectively, and showed excellent model fit.

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Changes in body image and onset of disordered eating behaviors in youth with type 1 diabetes over a five-year longitudinal follow-up

Journal of Psychosomatic Research ◽

10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.03.169 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 109 ◽

pp. 44-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Alda Troncone ◽

Crescenzo Cascella ◽

Antonietta Chianese ◽

Ilaria Galiero ◽

Angela Zanfardino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Type 1 Diabetes ◽

Disordered Eating ◽

Eating Behaviors ◽

Disordered Eating Behaviors

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Prevalence of disordered eating behaviors and associated factors in Brazilian university students

Nutrition and Health ◽

10.1177/0260106020971136 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 026010602097113

Author(s):

Ana Paula de Matos ◽

Paulo Rogério Melo Rodrigues ◽

Lorena Barbosa Fonseca ◽

Márcia Gonçalves Ferreira ◽

Ana Paula Muraro

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

University Students ◽

Disordered Eating ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Food Restriction ◽

Eating Behaviors ◽

Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽

Factors Associated

Background: University students may be a vulnerable group to adopt unhealthy behaviors, including changes in eating behavior. Assessment of factors associated with the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors in this population may facilitate the early identification of their predictors, thus allowing fast interventions. Aim: To analyze the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors (DEB) and associated factors in Brazilian university students. Methods: Cross-sectional study of male and female students aged 16–25 years, enrolled in full-time degree program at a public university in the mid-west of Brazil. Disordered eating behaviors in the last three months (binge eating, purging, and food restriction), through an adapted version of the instrument developed by Hay, was evaluated and the association with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including lifestyle, body image, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and excess weight, was analyzed. A hierarchical analysis model was performed to determine the relative importance of factors on the prevalence of DEB. Results: A total of 1608 university students were evaluated (50.7% male). Prevalence of DEB was 4.4% for binge eating, 2.5% for purging and 9.1% for food restriction, all of which were higher among women (7.0%, 4.4%, and 13.5%) compared with men (1.8%, 0,6%, and 4.9%, respectively). The factors that remained significantly associated with these behaviors were female sex, smoking, consumption of alcoholic beverages, dissatisfaction with body image, excess weight, high perceived stress, and presence of self-reported depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Factors associated with DEB signal that intervention is required to create synergy between individual and population-level interventions in lifestyle behaviors.

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