Treatment of compulsive exercise in eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia: protocol for a systematic review
Open Access
- 10 February 2021
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Journal of Eating Disorders
- Vol. 9 (1), 1-7
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-021-00375-y
Abstract
Background: Compulsive exercise is a core feature of both eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia. Earlier models of treatment recommended complete abstinence from exercise in eating disorder populations, but recent guidelines advocate for the gradual inclusion of healthier forms of exercise into an overall treatment plan where appropriate. Given the association between problematic exercise behaviour and poorer prognosis, there has been a recent upsurge in the number of treatment interventions for compulsive exercise in eating disorders. However, no systematic review has been published summarising this existing treatment literature. The aim of this review is to determine the efficacy of existing treatments for compulsive exercise in eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia. Methods: A systematic review will be conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Five electronic databases (PsycInfo, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus) will be searched from database inception until November 2020. We will include studies that: (a) sampled adolescents and/or adults with either an eating disorder or muscle dysmorphia; (b) assessed changes in compulsive exercise from pre- to post-intervention; and (c) used a standardised instrument to measure compulsive exercise or related constructs. We will include studies with a comparison group (e.g., randomised controlled trials) and without a comparison group (e.g., pilot studies and case studies) to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature. One reviewer will screen all titles and abstracts against eligibility criteria, with 20% of excluded articles cross-referenced by another reviewer. Full texts will be obtained for articles deemed relevant or where inclusion was uncertain, and will be screened by both reviewers. We will also evaluate the quality of the included studies using a modified Downs and Black (J Epidemiol Community Health 52:377–384, 1998) assessment checklist. Discussion: Results from this review will help to determine the most efficacious treatment components for compulsive exercise in eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia. We hope that our results will help inform clinical practice guidelines in recommending targeted interventions for the treatment of compulsive exercise.Other Versions
This publication has 52 references indexed in Scilit:
- Exercise in the care of patients with anorexia nervosa: A systematic review of the literatureMental Health and Physical Activity, 2013
- Muscle dysmorphia: Towards a diagnostic consensusAustralian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2013
- Disordered eating and exercise: Development and preliminary validation of the compulsive exercise test (CET)European Eating Disorders Review, 2011
- Exercise in the eating disorders: Terms and definitionsEuropean Eating Disorders Review, 2011
- The emotional regulatory features of bulimic episodes and compulsive exercise in muscle dysmorphia: A case reportEuropean Eating Disorders Review, 2011
- Features and Management of Compulsive Exercising in Eating DisordersThe Physician and Sportsmedicine, 2009
- Clinical features of muscle dysmorphia among males with body dysmorphic disorderBody Image, 2005
- Eating Disorders and Exercise Dependence in TriathletesEating Disorders, 2002
- The Dimensions of Obligatory ExerciseEating Disorders, 1999
- V.‐Anorexia Nervosa (Apepsia Hysterica, Anorexia Hysterica)Obesity Research, 1997