Running on empty: high self-esteem as a risk factor for exercise addiction

Background: Few studies have examined the theorized predictors of exercise addiction. Furthermore, research on exercise addiction has paid little to no attention to an individual’s social and cultural context. Using objectification theory, the present study examined (a) body shame as a positive predictor of exercise addiction, (b) self-esteem as a negative predictor of exercise addiction, and (c) self-esteem as a mediator of the positive relation between body shame and exercise addiction among college student women. Method: Participants were 322 undergraduate women at a large university in the Northeast. Results: Results corroborate body shame as a significant positive predictor of exercise addiction; however, contrary to hypotheses, self-esteem emerged as a positive predictor of exercise addiction when controlling for body shame. Finally, the test of the mediation model revealed self-esteem was partially mediating the relation between body shame and exercise addiction, indicating competitive mediation. Conclusions: Results shed light on the potential predictors of exercise addiction, extend objectification theory in relation to exercise addiction, and provide a sociocultural context for understanding the exercise addiction among young adult women. Further, new directions for targeted treatments aimed at reducing body shame are discussed.