Motivational dynamics underlying eating regulation in young and adult female dieters: relationships with healthy eating behaviours and disordered eating symptoms

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether type of goals and motives underlying females’ eating regulation are associated differentially with daily eating behaviours, dependent upon weight and age category.

Design: 99 late adolescent female dieters (M_age = 18.94) and 98 adult female dieters (M_age = 45.06), 23.6% of which were overweight, completed a questionnaire and a 7-day diary assessment. Descriptive analysis and path analysis were performed to investigate the research questions.

Main outcome measures: Healthy eating behaviours (HEHS), drive for thinness and binge eating symptoms (EDI).

Results: Appearance-focused and controlled eating regulation were positively related to disordered eating symptoms throughout the week. In contrast, autonomous and health-focused eating regulation were associated positively with healthy eating behaviours and were either related negatively or unrelated to disordered eating symptoms. Mean level differences in motivation and eating behaviours emerged according to age and weight status. However, the examined structural model was similar for late adolescent and adult dieters and only few differences emerged between normal-weight and overweight dieters.

Conclusion: Dieters’ type of motivation helps to explain when eating regulation relates to healthy and disordered eating symptoms.

Keywords:

• motivation
• eating regulation
• eating disorders
• healthy eating
• self-determination theory