Nicole Legg

Topic

Helpful or Harmful? Differences in Exercise Experiences Between those With and Without Recent Disordered Eating

Department of Psychology

Date & location

• Wednesday, August 7, 2024
• 9:30 A.M.
• Virtual Defence

Examining Committee

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Brianna Turner, Department of Psychology, University of Victoria (Supervisor)
• Dr. Erica Woodin, Department of Psychology, UVic (Member)
• Dr. Sam Liu, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, UVic (Outside Member)

External Examiner

• Dr. Jennifer Mills, Department of Psychology, York University

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Yu-Ting Chen, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, UVic

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 those with eating pathology. The current dissertation aimed to better understand characteristics of disordered exercise and illuminate the benefits and consequences that exercise may have among those with recent, subclinical 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 body checking. Linear and generalized hierarchical linear models were used to analyze the longitudinal data, 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 those with and without DE from pre- to post-exercise, but those with recent DE experienced smaller mood benefits. Finally, level of exercise was not related to 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 to follow rigid rules 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, but less so for those with recent DE in the context of mood. Finally, there do not appear to be risks associated with engaging in different intensities of exercise for increasing compulsive body checking behaviours among those with DE. Results from the current study help to inform theoretical understandings of exercise experiences among those with recent DE, along with clinical recommendations for exercise for those with DE. Future research would benefit from using more clinically extreme DE groups to substantiate the results and from examining the impacts of different types and formats of exercise on such outcomes.