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Are you addicted to working out? Find out if this addiction is an eating disorder.
Research has found out that exercise addiction is nearly four times more common among people with an eating disorder.
Exercise addiction has been defined as an obsessive approach to fitness that could have a negative impact on health and social life. The study was published in the journal Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity.
Study lead author Mike Trott of Anglia Ruskin University in the UK said, “It is known that those with eating disorders are more likely to display addictive personality and obsessive-compulsive behaviours.”
“We are also aware that having an unhealthy relationship with food often means an increased amount of exercising, but this is the first time that a risk factor has been calculated,” Trott noted.
The research was derived from nine studies covering a total of 2,140 people with a mean age of 25. The researchers found that people displaying characteristics of an eating disorder are 3.7 times more likely to suffer from addiction to exercise than people displaying no indication of an eating disorder.
According to Trott, “It is not uncommon to want to improve our lifestyles by eating healthier and doing more exercise, particularly at the start of the year. However, it is important to moderate this behaviour and not fall victim to ‘crash diets’ or anything that eliminates certain foods entirely, as these can easily lead to eating disorders”
The research shows that displaying signs of an eating disorder significantly the mental and physical health.
“Health professionals working with people with eating disorders should consider monitoring exercise levels as a priority, as this group have been shown to suffer from serious medical conditions as a result of excessive exercise, such as fractures, increased rates of cardiovascular disease in younger patients, and increased overall mortality,” Trott concluded.
