The Risk of Disordered Eating in Fitness Club Members—A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Fitness clubs may be environments where abnormal eating behaviors and excessive exercise are socially accepted, potentially putting individuals at risk for disordered eating (DE). This study examined the DE risk prevalence among gym members, comparing body appreciation, exercise motivation, frequency, BMI, and age across DE risk levels, and assessed the associated factors. A sample of 232 gym members (age: 39.6 ± 13.7) completed an online survey measuring DE risk (Eating Disorder Screen for Primary Care (ESP)), body appreciation (Body Appreciation Scale version 2), and exercise motivation (Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2). One out of five (19.4%) were at risk of DE, while 15.5% and 11.6% reported having secretive eating behaviors and a history of eating disorders, respectively. Body weight impacted self-perception for 62.5% of the respondents. Those at DE risk had a higher mean BMI (26.23 ± 4.36 vs. 24.68 ± 3.61, p = 0.032) with a higher proportion of those with a BMI of 25–29.9 (46.67% vs. 29.41%, p = 0.027) compared to non-at-risk individuals. DE risk was associated with lower body appreciation (3.00 ± 3.60 versus 4.00 ± 3.70, p = ≤0.001), with body appreciation being the only factor associated with DE risk (OR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.15, 0.39, p = ≤0.001).