The relationship between restrained eating and exercise addiction: The chain mediating role of social physique anxiety and grit.

BACKGROUND

Exercise addiction often coexists with eating disorders and extreme dietary habits. It has remained unclear whether restrained eating, the most common maladaptive behavior in eating disorders, is associated with exercise addiction and whether some common psychological factors will affect their relationship. This study aimed to explore the interplay among restrained eating, exercise addiction, social physique anxiety, and grit.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1575 Chinese college students (73.9 % men) aged 17-24 (19.68 ± 0.02). Data were collected using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, the Exercise Addiction Inventory, the Social Physique Anxiety Scale, and the Grit Scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized chain mediation model linking restrained eating, social physique anxiety, grit, and exercise addiction. Group differences were assessed using ANOVA and multi-group SEM across different types of restrained eaters.

RESULTS

The results indicated that restrained eating, social physique anxiety, grit and exercise addiction were significantly correlated. Notably, social physique anxiety and grit exhibited a chain mediation effect on the relationship between restrained eating and exercise addiction. Likewise, significant group differences were observed among failed restrained eaters, successful restrained eaters, and non-restrained eaters in exercise addiction (F = 21.018, p < 0.01), social physique anxiety (F = 151.464, p < 0.01), and grit (F = 12.303, p < 0.01). Social physique anxiety and grit still had a partial chain mediating effect on the relationship between restrained eating and exercise addiction across the three different restrained eating groups.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight that prioritizing the identification of different types of restrained eaters, alleviating social physique anxiety, and curbing untimely grit can serve as effective strategies to prevent exercise addiction.