Exercise dependence as a mediator of the exercise and eating disorders relationship: A pilot study

• Exercise dependence has been associated with ED symptoms.
• We examined exercise dependence as a mediator of exercise and ED symptoms.
• Results suggest that exercise dependence may mediate the relationship between exercise and ED symptoms.
• Intervening on exercise dependence may be useful in treating exercise in ED.

ObjectiveExcessive exercise is a common feature of eating disorders (ED) and is associated with earlier ED onset, more ED symptoms, and higher persistence of ED behavior. Research indicates that exercise amount alone is not associated with ED. The purpose of this study was to investigate pathological attitudes and behaviors related to exercise (e.g., exercise dependence) as a mediator of the exercise and ED relationship.MethodParticipants were 43 women with an ED who completed measures of ED symptoms, exercise behavior, and exercise dependence. Analyses were conducted using the indirect bootstrapping method for examining mediation.ResultsExercise dependence mediated the relationship between exercise and ED. This mediation model accounted for 14.34% of the variance in the relationship.DiscussionOur results extend the literature by offering preliminary evidence of a psychological variable that may be a candidate for future interventions on the exercise and ED relationship. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.