Abstract
Background
Evidence suggests that physical activity may be related to improved eating regulation,
helping people self-regulate their eating in a healthier way. Yet the positive associations
between physical activity and eating-related behaviors appear to depend on the goals
pursued by individuals when they engage in physical activity.
Objective
This study investigated differences in eating motivations (informed by Self-Determination
Theory) and intuitive eating between women who did physical activity to lose weight
(PA-Wt) vs for non-weight goals (PA-NWt), and explores whether eating motivations
mediate associations between weight-focused physical activity and intuitive eating.
Design/participants
A sample of 1,435 physically active women (40 to 50 years) participated in a nationally
representative survey conducted in 2009 in New Zealand. Women were asked whether they
did physical activity predominantly to lose weight and were dichotomized into PA-Wt
and PA-NWt groups.
Main outcome measures
Questions assessing eating in response to hunger and satiety cues (intuitive eating)
and eating-related motivations were completed by participants.
Statistical analyses
Analyses of covariance, t tests, correlations, and mediation analyses were conducted to test the study hypotheses.
Results
PA-Wt participants reported lower levels of intuitive eating than did PA-NWt (0.26<Cohen’s
effect size d<2.38; all, P<0.001), and higher levels of both autonomous (0.16<d< 0.41; P<0.010) and controlled eating motivations (introjected: d=0.60, P<0.001; external: d=0.24; P<0.001). Associations between PA-Wt and intuitive eating were mediated by introjected
motivation (effect ratios=0.18 to 0.29), and less prominently by intrinsic and integrated
motivation.
Conclusions
Whether women are active to lose weight or for other reasons seems important when
it comes to regulating their eating: weight-focused physical activity appears to be
linked to higher eating motivation (ie, quantity), while the presence of poorer-quality
motivation (ie, introjected motivation) is related to a less intuitive eating style.
Keywords
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Biography
E. V. Carraça is a post-doctoral research fellow, Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Human Performance, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, Estrada da Costa, Cruz Quebrada, Portugal.
Biography
S. L. Leong is an assistant research fellow, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Biography
C. C. Horwath is an associate professor, Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 13, 2018
Accepted:
September 17,
2018
Received:
April 2,
2018
Footnotes
STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
FUNDING/SUPPORT This study was funded by the University of Otago Performance-Based Research Fund, and partially funded by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (grant number SFRH/BPD/91301/2012 attributed to Eliana V. Carraça).
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS S. L. Leong and C. C. Horwath prepared the survey and collected the data. E. V. Carraça planned this study, conducted the analyses, and wrote the first draft. All authors reviewed and commented on subsequent drafts of the manuscript.
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
