Table 1. Demographic and behavioral characteristics of study cohort.
| TOTAL N = 639 | Controls N = 502 | ED Low exercise N= 100 | ED High exercise N= 37 | Group t-test comparison | p-value† | Signif. †† | Cohen’s d | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (sd) | Mean (sd) | Mean (sd) | Mean (sd) | |||||
| Age | 23.4(3.2) | 23.4(3.1) | 23.4(3.9) | 23.4(3.1) | - | - | - | - |
| Gender [%Female] | 65% | 64.7% | 70% | A < B | ||||
| Obsessional thoughts of threat (OBQ) | 15.7 (6.1) | 14.8(5.8) | 18.1 (6.4) | 21.0 (5.0) | A < B < C | |||
| Obsessional intolerance towards uncertainty (OBQ) | 18.2 (6.9) | 17.3 (6.6) | 20.6 (7.5) | 22.8 (6.2) | A < B , C | |||
| Obsessional thoughts of importance and control (OBQ) | 14.1 (6.2) | 13.4 (5.9) | 16.4 (6.7) | 17.8 (6.0) | A < B , C | |||
| Obsessional thoughts of inflated responsibility (OBQ) | 20.9 (6.3) | 20.7 (6.4) | 21.4 (6.3) | 22.6 (5.6) | - | |||
| Transdiagnostic compulsivity traits (CHI-T) | 24.3 (6.0) | 23.6 (5.9) | 26.2 (6.0) | 28.3 (4.8) | A < B < C | |||
| Impulsivity traits (BIS-8) | 16.4 (3.9) | 15.9 (3.7) | 18.4 (4.3) | 17.1 (3.6) | A < B | |||
| Negative urgency (SUPPS) | 4.74 (2.49) | 4.3 (2.3) | 6.4 (2.4) | 6.5 (2.1) | A < B , C | |||
| Lack of perseverance (SUPPS) | 4.44 (1.85) | 4.4 (1.8) | 4.8 (2.1) | 3.7 (1.6) | A, B > C | |||
| Lack of premeditation (SUPPS) | 3.95 (1.85) | 3.8 (1.8) | 4.7 (2.0) | 3.9 (2.2) | A < B | |||
| Sensation seeking (SUPPS) | 5.99 (2.60) | 6.1 (2.6) | 5.4 (2.6) | 6.6 (3.1) | A, C > B | |||
| Positive urgency (SUPPS) | 3.14 (2.14) | 3.0 (2.1) | 3.8 (2.2) | 4.0 (2.1) | A < B, C | |||
| Intolerance of Uncertainty (IUS) | 58.3 (21.1) | 55.3 (20.0) | 69.2 (22.7) | 69.0 (18.9) | A < B, C | |||
| BSSS | 24.11(6.8) | 24.2 (6.6) | 23 (7.1) | 25.5 (7.0) | - | |||
| Internet use (IAT-12) | 13.1(8.0) | 11.7 (7.2) | 16.6 (9.9) | 18.5 (7.7) | A < B, C | |||
| Quality of life | 55.3 (17.8) | 57.3 (17.6) | 46.5 (15.4) | 50.9 (17.7) | A > B, C |
Group A = controls; Group B = ED with low exercise; Group C = ED with high exercise;
†
Two sample t-test p-values;
††
Significance: ‘*’ <0.05; ‘**’ <0.01; ‘***’ <0.001;
†††
Chi-square; ED = Eating disorders; Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire, short version (OBQ-20); Internet Addiction Test, short version (IAT-12); Cambridge–Chicago Compulsivity Trait Scale (CHI-T); The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, short version (BIS-8); Brief Sensation Seeking
Scale (BSSS); Short Urgency-Premeditation-Perseverance-Sensation Seeking-Positive Urgency Scale (SUPPS).