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. 2017 Dec;50(12):1413-1420.
doi: 10.1002/eat.22799. Epub 2017 Nov 3.

Stress is associated with exercise differently among individuals with higher and lower eating disorder symptoms: An ecological momentary assessment study

Margarita Sala  1 , Leigh C Brosof  2 , David Rosenfield  1 , Katya C Fernandez  3 , Cheri A Levinson  2
Affiliations

Stress is associated with exercise differently among individuals with higher and lower eating disorder symptoms: An ecological momentary assessment study

Margarita Sala et al. Int J Eat Disord. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: Stress is associated with the maintenance of eating disorders and exercise behaviors. However, it is unclear how stress is associated with exercise and vice-versa among individuals with higher levels of eating disorder symptoms in daily life. The current study tested the moderating effect of eating disorder symptoms on the relationships between (1) daily stress and later exercise behavior and (2) daily exercise behavior and later stress.

Method: Female college students [N = 129, mean age = 19.19 (SD = 1.40)] completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2. Participants then completed measures of stress and exercise four times daily across seven days using an automated telephone ecological momentary assessment system. Data were analyzed using multilevel models.

Results: Drive for thinness, bulimic symptoms, and body dissatisfaction significantly moderated the relationship between daily stress and later exercise (ps = .01-.05), such that higher daily stress predicted higher later exercise only in individuals who were low (but not average or high) in drive for thinness, bulimic symptoms, and body dissatisfaction symptoms.

Discussion: Stress is associated with exercise differentially depending on individuals' eating disorder symptoms. Our findings suggest that only individuals with lower levels of eating disorder symptoms exercise when stressed.

Keywords: affect; eating disorders; ecological momentary assessment; exercise; stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Drive for thinness as a moderator of the relationship between stress and later exercise. Note: Low drive for thinness is one standard deviation below mean drive for thinness; high drive for thinness is one standard deviation above mean drive for thinness.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Bulimic symptoms as a moderator of the relationship between stress and later exercise. Note: Low bulimic symptoms is one standard deviation below mean bulimic symptoms; high bulimic symptoms is one standard deviation above mean bulimic symptoms.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Body dissatisfaction as a moderator of the relationship between stress and later exercise. Note: BD = body dissatisfaction; low body dissatisfaction is one standard deviation below mean body dissatisfaction; high body dissatisfaction is one standard deviation above mean body dissatisfaction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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