Associations between symptoms of eating disturbance and frequency of physical activity in a non-clinical, population-based sample of adolescents

Abstract Background Physical activity is an important factor related to eating disorders, but the relationship between symptoms of eating disorders and physical activity is multifaceted. The aims of this study were to investigate how symptoms of eating disturbance (ED) were associated with physical...

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Main Authors: Ove Heradstveit, Eva Holmelid, Helene Klundby, Birgitte Søreide, Børge Sivertsen, Liv Sand
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2019-04-01
Series:Journal of Eating Disorders
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40337-019-0239-1
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author Ove Heradstveit
Eva Holmelid
Helene Klundby
Birgitte Søreide
Børge Sivertsen
Liv Sand
author_facet Ove Heradstveit
Eva Holmelid
Helene Klundby
Birgitte Søreide
Børge Sivertsen
Liv Sand
author_sort Ove Heradstveit
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Physical activity is an important factor related to eating disorders, but the relationship between symptoms of eating disorders and physical activity is multifaceted. The aims of this study were to investigate how symptoms of eating disturbance (ED) were associated with physical activity, and to explore potential sex differences and the potential moderating effects from body mass index (BMI) scores. Methods Data stem from a large population-based survey of 10,172 Norwegian adolescents aged 16 to 19 years, the youth@hordaland-survey. The main dependent variable was self-reported number of days with physical activity per week, while the main independent variable was self-reported symptoms of ED using the five-item Eating Disturbance Screening (EDS-5) questionnaire. Control variables included sex, age, socioeconomic status, and BMI. Results Girls reported substantially more symptoms of ED compared with boys (M = 3.02 versus 1.32, d = 0.80, p < 0.001), as well as fewer days with physical activity per week (M = 2.88 versus 3.46, d = − 0.28, p < 0.001). For both sexes, symptoms of ED were negatively associated with physical activity (adjusted mean differences (adj. mean diff) ranging from − 0.03 to − 0.08, all p < 0.05). Interaction analyses showed, however, that associations between symptoms of ED and physical activity were significantly moderated by BMI scores for both girls (p < 0.01) and boys (p < 0.05). Specifically, ED symptoms were associated with lower physical activity levels among adolescents with higher BMI scores. Conclusions The present study indicates that symptoms of ED were overall negatively associated with physical activity for both sexes during adolescence. However, associations between ED symptoms and physical activity levels differed considerably across the weight spectrum.
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spelling doaj.art-dbc996d85e31489fa10c107c1d4c47e42023-02-02T12:37:45ZengBMCJournal of Eating Disorders2050-29742019-04-01711910.1186/s40337-019-0239-1Associations between symptoms of eating disturbance and frequency of physical activity in a non-clinical, population-based sample of adolescentsOve Heradstveit0Eva Holmelid1Helene Klundby2Birgitte Søreide3Børge Sivertsen4Liv Sand5Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Ove Heradstveit, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, RKBUFaculty of Psychology, University of BergenFaculty of Psychology, University of BergenFaculty of Psychology, University of BergenDepartment of Health Promotion, Norwegian Institute of Public HealthRegional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Ove Heradstveit, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, RKBUAbstract Background Physical activity is an important factor related to eating disorders, but the relationship between symptoms of eating disorders and physical activity is multifaceted. The aims of this study were to investigate how symptoms of eating disturbance (ED) were associated with physical activity, and to explore potential sex differences and the potential moderating effects from body mass index (BMI) scores. Methods Data stem from a large population-based survey of 10,172 Norwegian adolescents aged 16 to 19 years, the youth@hordaland-survey. The main dependent variable was self-reported number of days with physical activity per week, while the main independent variable was self-reported symptoms of ED using the five-item Eating Disturbance Screening (EDS-5) questionnaire. Control variables included sex, age, socioeconomic status, and BMI. Results Girls reported substantially more symptoms of ED compared with boys (M = 3.02 versus 1.32, d = 0.80, p < 0.001), as well as fewer days with physical activity per week (M = 2.88 versus 3.46, d = − 0.28, p < 0.001). For both sexes, symptoms of ED were negatively associated with physical activity (adjusted mean differences (adj. mean diff) ranging from − 0.03 to − 0.08, all p < 0.05). Interaction analyses showed, however, that associations between symptoms of ED and physical activity were significantly moderated by BMI scores for both girls (p < 0.01) and boys (p < 0.05). Specifically, ED symptoms were associated with lower physical activity levels among adolescents with higher BMI scores. Conclusions The present study indicates that symptoms of ED were overall negatively associated with physical activity for both sexes during adolescence. However, associations between ED symptoms and physical activity levels differed considerably across the weight spectrum.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40337-019-0239-1Eating disturbanceDisordered eatingEDS-5Physical activityPopulation-based studySex differences
spellingShingle Ove Heradstveit
Eva Holmelid
Helene Klundby
Birgitte Søreide
Børge Sivertsen
Liv Sand
Associations between symptoms of eating disturbance and frequency of physical activity in a non-clinical, population-based sample of adolescents
Journal of Eating Disorders
Eating disturbance
Disordered eating
EDS-5
Physical activity
Population-based study
Sex differences
title Associations between symptoms of eating disturbance and frequency of physical activity in a non-clinical, population-based sample of adolescents
title_full Associations between symptoms of eating disturbance and frequency of physical activity in a non-clinical, population-based sample of adolescents
title_fullStr Associations between symptoms of eating disturbance and frequency of physical activity in a non-clinical, population-based sample of adolescents
title_full_unstemmed Associations between symptoms of eating disturbance and frequency of physical activity in a non-clinical, population-based sample of adolescents
title_short Associations between symptoms of eating disturbance and frequency of physical activity in a non-clinical, population-based sample of adolescents
title_sort associations between symptoms of eating disturbance and frequency of physical activity in a non clinical population based sample of adolescents
topic Eating disturbance
Disordered eating
EDS-5
Physical activity
Population-based study
Sex differences
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40337-019-0239-1
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