Shifts in body-image ideals over the past 30 years towards leaner, muscular bodies have revealed new health behaviors that may be related to cognitive function. This study objective was to investigate prospective associations between a drive for muscularity and/or muscularity-oriented disordered behaviors (MODBs) with cognition. Data were drawn from Add Health, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort dataset. Drive for muscularity and MODB engagement were assessed in emerging adulthood (ages 18–26). Cognition was measured via immediate word recall, delayed-word recall, and number recall at 7-years later (ages 24–32). Analyzes were conducted in 1976 participants with available data. A one-way ANCOVA revealed that those with a drive for muscularity had lower immediate word recall (F(3, 12,819) = 3.845, p = .009) and delayed word recall (F(3, 12,807) = 5.933, p < .001) scores than other weight goal groups adjusting for covariates. Hierarchical linear regressions between individual MODBs and cognitive outcomes showed that legal performance-enhancing substance use (βs = 0.06–0.07, p < .05) and exercise (β = 0.06, p < .05) were positively associated with some cognition scores. Conversely, lifting weights (β = − 0.06, p < .05) and eating different foods than usual (β = − 0.05, p < .05) exhibited negative associations with some of the cognitive outcomes. Future research should be conducted to examine other potential outcomes related to the drive for muscularity and associated MODBs.

在过去 30 年中，身体形象理想向更苗条、肌肉发达的身体转变，揭示了可能与认知功能相关的新健康行为。本研究的目的是调查肌肉发达的驱动力和/或肌肉发达的障碍行为 (MODB) 与认知之间的前瞻性关联。数据来自 Add Health，这是一个具有全国代表性的纵向队列数据集。在成年初期（18-26 岁）评估了肌肉发达的动力和 MODB 参与度。认知是通过即时单词回忆、延迟单词回忆和 7 年后（24-32 岁）的数字回忆来衡量的。使用可用数据对 1976 名参与者进行了分析。单向 ANCOVA 显示那些有肌肉发达的人的即时单词回忆较低 ( F (3, 12,819) = 3.845,p  = .009) 和延迟单词回忆 ( F (3, 12,807) = 5.933, p  < .001) 得分高于针对协变量调整的其他权重目标组。个体 MODB 与认知结果之间的分层线性回归表明，合法的性能增强物质使用（βs = 0.06–0.07 ，p  <.05）和锻炼（β =  0.06，p  <.05）与一些认知分数呈正相关。相反，举重 ( β  = − 0.06, p  < .05) 和吃与平常不同的食物 ( β  = − 0.05, p < .05) 与一些认知结果呈负相关。应该进行未来的研究，以检查与肌肉发达和相关 MODBs 驱动相关的其他潜在结果。