Eating disorder symptom profiles and physical activity cognitions and motivations among emerging adults with physical activity intentions

Eating disorders (EDs) encompass maladaptive eating behaviors and body image concerns and often include unhealthy physical activity behaviors (e.g., driven and compulsive exercise). Despite exercise's potential health benefits, its driven pursuit may exacerbate ED symptoms. This study used latent profile analysis in a non-clinical sample of emerging adults to identify classes of ED symptoms and their associations with physical activity cognitions and motivations (e.g., self-efficacy, identity, self-regulatory efforts). Emerging adults completed a baseline questionnaire of ED symptoms and measures of physical activity cognitions and motivations. Latent profile analysis was run with ED symptoms as indicators, including body dissatisfaction, overvaluation, dietary restraint, binge-eating frequency, and driven exercise frequency. Extracted groups were then compared on physical activity cognitions and motivations. Four distinct groups were identified: recurrent binge-eating symptoms (RBE), cognitive ED symptoms (COG), driven exercise symptoms (DE), and low ED symptoms (LED). These groups exhibited varying patterns of physical activity cognitions and motivations, with the DE group showing elevated adaptive cognitions and motivations (e.g., self-efficacy, self-regulation) and strong physical activity identity. Both the DE and COG groups reported higher guilt and shame regarding not exercising and reinforcing self-regulatory efforts. The RBE group displayed lower amotivation and less self-regulation for physical activity, suggesting challenges in incorporating exercise into their routines. These findings highlight similar and different physical activity cognitions and motivations that may underlie varying ED presentations and highlight the need for tailored interventions to promote healthy physical activity behaviors among individuals with EDs.