Skip to main content

Table 5 Difficulties when measuring compulsive exercise

From: Measuring exercise in eating disorder patients: a Delphi study to aggregate clinical and research knowledge

Item

M

SD

Mode

% of panellists showing agreement

Consensus achieved

Existing measures of compulsive exercise may not be accurate in athletes

4.33

0.97

5

89

Yes (Round 2)

There is a lack of consensus among researchers, clinicians and individuals with eating disorders on how to define and conceptualise compulsive exercise

4.76

0.44

5

100

Yes (Round 3)

The lack of consensus has impacted progress in the field, as research is often not comparable

4.61

0.78

5

89

Yes (Round 2)

The lack of consensus has impacted progress in the field, as research is often not comparable

4.47

0.62

5

94

Yes (Round 3)

Existing measures do not take into account that individuals with an eating disorder may have obsessive thoughts or unhealthy attitudes towards exercise without a behavioural component

4.00

0.71

4

88

Yes (Round 3)

As exercise is a socially accepted behaviour, it may be difficult for eating disorder patients to realise that the way they exercise is pathological in the context of their eating disorder

3.89

1.13

5

89

Yes (Round 2)

A measure assessing compulsive exercise contributes – in some cases unnecessarily- to the already extensive assessment process for individuals with eating disorders

4.89

0.32

5

89

Yes (Round 2, disagree)

Eating disorder treatment should include facilities to teach patients to exercise in a healthful way through in vivo exposure

4.82

0.93

5

100

Yes (Round 3)

Teaching eating disorder patients how to exercise in a healthful way needs to be given more focus in treatment

4.39

0.98

5

94

Yes (Round 2)

It is difficult to measure compulsive exercise accurately due to inaccuracy of self-report

3.82

1.13

4

76

Near (Round 3)

It is difficult to measure compulsive exercise accurately due to varying definitions of what constitutes exercise

4.39

0.50

4

89

Yes (Round 2)

It is difficult to measure compulsive exercise accurately due to patients with eating disorders engaging in a variety of physical activity they may not see as exercise, such as tensing muscles or standing for long periods of time

3.50

1.15

4

94

Yes (Round 2)

It is difficult to measure compulsive exercise accurately due to desirability reporting

3.88

0.86

4

82

Near (Round 3)

It is difficult to measure compulsive exercise accurately due to current questionnaires not assessing for incidental exercise

3.76

0.83

4

76

Near (Round 3)

The accuracy of self-report is likely diminished due to concerns about consequences of answering truthfully

4.29

0.99

5

88

Yes (Round 3)

The accuracy of self-report is likely diminished due to recall bias

3.59

0.94

4

76

Near (Round 3)

The accuracy of self-report is likely diminished due to desirability reporting

3.76

1.09

4

82

Near (Round 3)

There is no international gold standard describing how to best measure and assess compulsive exercise

4.44

0.98

5

94

Yes (Round 2)