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The Freiburg sport therapy program for eating disordered outpatients: a pilot study

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Many patients with anorexia or bulimia nervosa use physical activity as a method to influence weight and shape and/or exercise in a compulsive manner. This form of exercising is associated with a more severe illness and higher relapse rates. In a proof-of-concept study, effects of a newly developed sport therapy program aiming to reduce unhealthy exercising were assessed.

Methods

Thirty-six patients with eating disorders took part in four group terms of the program, each lasting 3 months. They were compared to a matched control group. Main outcome criterion was a reduction in the total score of the commitment to exercise scale (CES).

Results

In the completer analysis, we found statistically significant reductions in the CES total score over time (time × group; p = 0.003) and significant improvements in overall eating psychopathology and quality of life (pre → post). The dropout rate was high (34 %), mainly due to external reasons (time schedule, etc.).

Conclusions

Findings point to specific effects of a newly developed outpatient sport therapy program for eating disorders. Detailed assessments of patients before assigning them to the program will be necessary to reduce dropout rates. The next step has to be a randomized controlled study.

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Notes

  1. To our knowledge, two further programs have been developed which are designed for inpatient treatment of ED (in Leicester, UK and Prien, Germany), but data on effectiveness have not been published yet.

  2. Psychotherapeutic outpatient treatment in Germany is cognitive behavioral or psychodynamic in orientation.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional ethical committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Sabine Schlegel, Armin Hartmann & Almut Zeeck

  2. Department of Sport Psychology, Institute for Sport and Sport-Sciences, University of Freiburg, Schwarzwaldstraße 175, 79117, Freiburg, Germany

    Reinhard Fuchs

Authors
  1. Sabine Schlegel
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  2. Armin Hartmann
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  3. Reinhard Fuchs
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  4. Almut Zeeck
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Almut Zeeck.

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Schlegel, S., Hartmann, A., Fuchs, R. et al. The Freiburg sport therapy program for eating disordered outpatients: a pilot study. Eat Weight Disord 20, 319–327 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-015-0182-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-015-0182-3

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