Author(s): AMATO, A., PETRIGNA, L., MUSUMECI, G., Institution: UNIVERSITY OF CATANIA, Country: ITALY, Abstract-ID: 617

INTRODUCTION:
Current physical activity guidelines recommend 150–300 minutes of moderate exercise weekly for health benefits. While exercise is protective when performed moderately, compulsive exercise, or exercise dependence, can coexist with and potentially exacerbate eating disorders (ED), particularly in contexts emphasizing leanness or aesthetics. The relationship between exercise volume, body image, and ED risk is complex and bidirectional, yet research has primarily focused on athletic populations, leaving a gap regarding amateur adults. This observational study investigates the association between high weekly exercise volume and eating attitudes in healthy adults, examining differences by sex, exercise volume, and activity type.
METHODS:
417 healthy adults (58.5% female) completed an informative questionnaire on weekly PE, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), and were included in data analysis. The EAT-26 total score and its subscales were calculated, with a score ≥20 indicating ED risk. IPAQ was expressed as total MET-min/week and categorized into low, moderate, and high levels. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons (t-tests, Mann-Whitney U, chi-square), and bivariate correlations (Pearson/Spearman) were performed. Differences in ED risk across exercise modalities were analyzed with ANOVA/Kruskal-Wallis tests and post-hoc comparisons. Predictors of ED risk were identified via binary logistic regression, with structured exercise minutes, MET-minutes, exercise type, and sex as independent variables.
RESULTS:
No significant correlation was found between EAT-26 scores and weekly exercise volume, total MET-minutes, BMI, or age. However, a significant sex disparity was identified, with females exhibiting a threefold higher prevalence of at-risk EAT-26 scores (17.6%) compared to males (5.2%). A key finding was the interaction between sex and adherence to the ACSM guideline threshold of 300 minutes per week. While the sex gap in ED risk was significant among those not exceeding this guideline (χ2=10.560, p=0.001; females= 19.2%, male= 4.5%), it was non-significant among those exceeding it (χ2=1.432, p=0.231; females= 11.8%, male= 6.0%), suggesting a differential moderating effect of high-volume exercise. No significant differences in ED risk were observed across different types of structured exercise (functional training, group fitness, weightlifting, team sports, individual sports).
CONCLUSION:
The results indicate that in a healthy adult population, exercise volume alone is not a direct linear predictor of ED risk. Instead, sex remains the strongest demographic predictor, with high-volume exercise potentially attenuating the sex disparity in risk among females. These findings underscore the need for a multidimensional approach to assessing ED risk, emphasizing psychological factors and motivational context over quantitative exercise metrics alone.