Muscularity-oriented disordered eating: investigating body image concerns and the moderating role of emotion dysregulation in cyclists

A lean muscular body of low weight is often associated with performance for cyclists and can be difficult to achieve. Disordered eating for some cyclists may develop in the pursuit of lean muscularity which is perceived to be beneficial to performance. Further, emotion dysregulation may exacerbate negative feelings about body image, increasing the risk of developing disordered eating as a means of controlling weight and shape. While research in athlete populations has been substantial, disordered eating in cyclists is relatively under-explored. The current study examined whether shape and weight concern and drive for leanness were associated with muscularity-oriented disordered eating and whether these relationships were moderated by emotion dysregulation. Interactions between these factors were also investigated. Participants were 139 Australian competitive cyclists (112 males, 27 females, aged 18–68 years) who completed a self-report questionnaire comprised of measures of shape and weight concern, drive for leanness, muscularity-oriented eating and emotion dysregulation variables. Both shape and weight concern and drive for leanness had a unique association with muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Emotion dysregulation was found to have a unique association with muscularity-oriented disordered eating when controlling for drive for leanness, but not when shape and weight concern was controlled. Additionally, emotion dysregulation moderated the association between shape and weight concern and muscularity-oriented disordered eating, whereby the relationship was intensified at higher levels of emotion dysregulation. Our study has extended the literature by indicating that cyclists’ desire to attain a lean body is associated with muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Further, emotion dysregulation moderated this link, suggesting it could be a maintaining factor worth addressing.