No abstract

Objective The present meta‐analysis summarizes existing evidence on the relationship between the internalization of body shape ideals (IBSI) and body dissatisfaction. Method Pooled effect sizes (r) were computed using a random‐effects model. The robustness of the results was examined using influence analyses. Potential predictors of effect heterogeneity were examined using subgroup analysis and univariable/multivariable meta‐regressions. Publication bias was examined using the three‐parameter selection model (3PSM). Results A total of 141 effect‐sizes from 78 studies (N = 39,491) were retrieved. Results revealed medium (r = .25; muscular/athletic‐ideal internalization) to very large (r = .43, general attractiveness‐ideal internalization; and r = .45, thin‐ideal internalization) relationships, all these being largely similar in male and female individuals. Discussion IBSI and body dissatisfaction were strongly linked: (a) in younger individuals (general attractiveness‐ideal internalization); (b) when IBSI was operationalized in terms of endorsement rather than mere awareness of appearance ideals; (c) in studies of lower methodological quality (muscular/athletic‐ideal internalization); and (d) when IBSI was assessed using instruments involving social comparisons. Given the largely cross‐sectional nature of data included in this meta‐analysis, further testing in prospective and experimental studies is needed to confirm hypotheses about causality of observed associations. Such findings would have impact for prevention and intervention studies.

Background and aims: The aim of the present systematic review was to identify psychometric tools developed to assess problematic exercise in order to identify and compare their theoretical conceptualisations on which they are based. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the electronic databases Web of Science, Scielo, PsychINFO, PsycTEST and SCOPUS from their inception to January 2020. Results: Seventeen assessment instruments met the eligibility criteria to be included in the present review. The instruments were classified according to their conceptualisation into five groups: (i) problematic exercise as an end of an exercise continuum, (ii) problematic exercise as a means of regulating body size and weight, (iii) problematic exercise as dependence, (iv) problematic exercise as a behavioural addiction and (v) no clear conceptualisation. Discussion: The results suggest that the conceptualisations of the assessment instruments have resulted in a strong dichotomy in relation to the primary or secondary character of the problematic exercise that might be limiting the capacity of the instruments to adequately capture the multidimensionality of this construct. Conclusions: Given the interest in understanding the complexity surrounding the problematic exercise, future research should develop more comprehensive definitions of this construct. This would allow a greater conceptual consensus to be reached that would allow progress to be made in the study of the problematic exercise.

Background and aimsThis study examined the relationship between self-reported symptoms of morbid exercise behaviour (MEB) and eating disorders (ED) using meta-analytic techniques.MethodsWe systematically searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, SciELO and Scopus. Random effects models were used to compute pooled effect sizes estimates (r). The robustness of the summarized estimates was examined through sensitivity analyses by removing studies one at a time.ResultsSixty-six studies comprising 135 effect-sizes (N = 21,816) were included. The results revealed: (a) small-sized relationship in the case of bulimic symptoms (r = 0.19), (b) small- (r = 0.28) to medium-sized relationships (r = 0.41) in the case of body/eating concerns, and (c) medium-sized relationships in the case of overall ED symptoms (r = 0.35) and dietary restraint (r = 0.42). Larger effect sizes were observed in the case of overall ED symptoms in clinical, younger, and thinner populations, as well as when employing a continuously-scored instrument for assessing ED or the Compulsive Exercise Test for assessing MEB. Larger effect sizes were also found in female samples when the ED outcome was dietary restraint.ConclusionsThe identified gaps in the literature suggest that future research on the topic may benefit from: (a) considering a range of clinical (in terms of diagnosed ED) and non-clinical populations from diverse exercise modalities, (b) addressing a wide range of ED symptomatology, and (c) employing longitudinal designs that clarify the temporal direction of the relationship under consideration.

Appearance‐related social anxiety has been identified as a relevant risk factor in the development of eating disorders (ED) and depression in young adults. However, less is known about the role that fitness‐related social anxiety may play on the emergence of these two psychopathological conditions. The present study aimed to examine whether appearance/fitness social anxiety may independently contribute to explaining the increased risk of ED and depressive symptoms in young adults. A total of 545 undergraduate students (46% women, Mage = 21.36, SDage = 2.93) recruited in two Spanish public universities completed a self‐reported questionnaire. After controlling for self‐reported BMI and appearance‐related social anxiety, the results from the regression analyses revealed that fitness‐related social anxiety positively and significantly (p < 0.05) contributed to explaining both the risk of ED (in women and men) and depressive symptoms (in women). The inclusion of the interaction term within the appearance/fitness‐related term positively contributed to explaining additional variance for both the risk of ED and depressive symptoms in men, but not in women. The regression models explained 48% (women) and 35% (men) of the ED risk and 25% (women) and 19% (men) of depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that not only appearance, but also fitness‐related social anxiety experiences may contribute to explaining the emergence of ED and depression in young adults.