The associations between childhood dance participation and adult disordered eating and related psychopathology

Abstract

Objective To examine the relationship between childhood dance participation and adult eating behavior and psychological health. Methods A total of 546 undergraduate females at a large Midwestern university completed questionnaires regarding eating behavior and associated features, depression, self-esteem, and body image. Results Women who participated in childhood dance are more likely to score higher on measures of bulimic behaviors than nondancers. In addition, childhood dancers indicated greater drive for thinness and poorer impulse control compared to nondancers. Furthermore, there was a statistical trend for childhood dancers to report greater perfectionism and a smaller ideal body mass than nondancers. There were no significant differences between dance groups on measures of depression and self-esteem. Conclusion These findings suggest that participating in dance as a child may influence one's eating behavior as an adult, including associated factors such as drive for thinness and impulse control and potentially perfectionism and preferred body size.