Psychological correlates of fasting and vigorous exercise as compensatory strategies in undergraduate women

Vigorous exercise and fasting are commonly used compensatory behaviors. However, it is unknown how non-clinical individuals who engage in one or both of these compensatory behaviors differ from one another. This research compared women who engaged in both fasting and vigorous exercise as compensatory strategies (n = 76) with women who engaged in either fasting (n = 56) or excessive exercise (n = 82) and women who employed no compensatory strategies (n = 113) on body image/eating and psychological symptomatology. Participants completed questionnaires assessing body dissatisfaction, restrained eating, thin-ideal internalization, depression, self-esteem, and general psychological distress. Women who utilize any compensatory strategies report significantly greater body dissatisfaction and restrained eating than women who use no compensatory strategies at all. Moreover, fasting as a compensatory behavior is associated with more significant psychological and behavioral symptoms than vigorous exercise as a compensatory behavior. Implications of these findings for clinical intervention and research are discussed.