Vulnerability to exercise addiction, socio-demographic, behavioral and psychological characteristics of runners at risk for eating disorders

Laura Di Lodovico, Caroline Dubertret, Aurely Ameller
Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2018-02-01; 81: 48-52
DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.11.006

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Di Lodovico L(1), Dubertret C(2), Ameller A(3).

Author information:
(1)AP-HP, Department of Psychiatry, Louis Mourier Hospital, Colombes, France.
Electronic address: .
(2)AP-HP, Department of Psychiatry, Louis Mourier Hospital, Colombes, France;
Univ Paris Diderot, Sorbonne, Paris Cite, Faculty of Medicine, Paris, France;
INSERM U894, Centre for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, 102-108 rue de la Santé,
75014 Paris, France.
(3)AP-HP, Department of Psychiatry, Louis Mourier Hospital, Colombes, France;
INSERM U894, Centre for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, 102-108 rue de la Santé,
75014 Paris, France.

BACKGROUND: Excessive exercise is frequently associated with eating disorders
and may degenerate into exercise addiction. We still don’t know whether runners
at risk for eating disorders are at risk for exercise addiction. Our aim is to
assess: 1) risk for exercise addiction in runners at risk for eating disorders
and 2) socio-demographic, behavioral and psychological characteristics
distinguishing runners at-risk from not-at-risk for eating disorders.
METHODS: We assessed risk for eating disorders and exercise addiction using the
SCOFF questionnaire and the Exercise Addiction Inventory personality traits with
the Big-Five Inventory Test, socio-demographic data, eating and training habits
in a sample of 154 healthy runners.
RESULTS: Twenty five subjects had a score of ≥2 at the SCOFF and were included
in the group « at risk for eating disorders ». In this group, we found a higher
percentage of subjects at risk for exercise addiction (p=0.01) and higher
average scores at the Exercise Addiction Inventory (p=0.01) than runners not at
risk (N=136). Runners at risk were statistically younger (p=0.03), women
(p=0.001), started running to lose weight more often (p=0.03), lost more kilos
since affiliation in their running club (p=0.04), and were characterized by
neurotic traits using the Big-Five-Inventory Test (p=3.10-6).
CONCLUSIONS: Screening for exercise addiction and mood disorders could lead to a
more accurate management of runners at risk for eating disorders. Identifying
vulnerable individuals will facilitate the prevention of eating disorders and
preserve the benefits of sport practice.