Exercise is generally considered to be a beneficial behavior with both physical and mental health advantages. However, if someone struggles not to exercise due to illness or injury, or if exercise begins to interfere with daily life, it may be considered maladaptive. This is often seen in individuals with eating disorders and has been linked to increased risk of disordered eating. Identifying factors that predict maladaptive exercise can help in intervening early and preventing unhealthy behaviors from escalating. Schaumberg et al. (2023) aimed to fill the gap in the literature by examining motivations for exercise and maladaptive exercise, how these changed over the course of adolescence and early adulthood, and the predictors of exercise motivations and behavior.
The study used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a longitudinal cohort from the South West of England. They found that maladaptive exercise increased during adolescence and early adulthood, especially at age 24. Factors such as body dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization, and fear of weight gain predicted maladaptive exercise behavior among both males and females. This is consistent with other research suggesting that adolescence is a critical time for the emergence of eating disorder behaviors.
The study’s strengths include a large sample size and a longitudinal design that captured changes in exercise attitudes and behavior over time. However, there were limitations, such as differences in the measure of exercise motivations/behaviors across time points and limited diversity in the sample.
The findings have implications for practice, indicating the need for awareness of the sensitive period in adolescence for the development of maladaptive exercise behaviors. Caregivers should be vigilant for signs of maladaptive exercise and address underlying body image concerns. Healthcare providers should emphasize the benefits of moderate and adaptive exercise while being mindful of the fine line between promoting exercise for health and fueling maladaptive behaviors. Additionally, public health messages about exercise and weight loss should be carefully considered to avoid negatively impacting young people’s experiences of exercise.
