The media portrayal of the ideal body shape is one of thinness. Such an image has promoted an excessive emphasis on control of body weight which may result in eating disorders, inadequate nutritional intake, reduced percentage of body fat, or more serious disorders such as anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia. A relationship between such eating disorders and excessive exercise has been suggested; however, conflicting findings exist regarding this relationship. The purpose of this study is: To examine the relationships among a general tendency toward addiction, addiction to running, level of running intensity, and eating disorders in a convenience sample of 312 women runners and nonrunners.
The specific aims of this study are: (a) to compare prevalence of eating disorders, general tendency toward addiction, and addiction to running in women engaged at different levels of running intensity; (b) to determine the relationship between eating disorders and addiction to running, general tendency toward addiction, level of running intensity and demographics in women runners and nonrunners; and (c) to determine which variables are the best predictors of eating disorders in women runners and nonrunners. This is a comparative study in which measures of eating disorders will be made in a group of women runners and nonrunners.Purposive sampling will be used to assure that a sample size of 312 women is obtained that includes 78 women in each of the four levels of running intensity, i.e., no running, plus low, medium, and high level running. Data analysis will consist of MANCOVA and ANCOVA to examine between group differences and stepwise multiple regression to determine those variables (tendency toward addiction, running addiction, age, socioeconomic status) that are the best predictors of eating disorders in women runners. The proposed study is designed to address inconsistencies found in the literature. A long-term goal of the research is to provide information that will improve early recognition of those women runners most at risk for eating disorders and to test interventions that can help reduce the negative outcomes associated with inadequate nutritional intake.
| Estok, P J; Rudy, E B (1996) The relationship between eating disorders and running in women. Res Nurs Health 19:377-87 |
