Exploring the Interplay Between Orthorexia Nervosa and Exercise Addiction in the Pursuit of Optimal Well-Being

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the exercise addiction levels and orthorexia nervosa tendencies of individuals who exercise and to reveal the relationship between them. For this purpose, a correlational screening model, a quantitative research method, was used. “Exercise Addiction Scale (EAS)” developed by Demir, Hazar and Cicioğlu (2018), “ORTO-11 Scale” developed by Donini et al. (2005) and adapted to Turkish by Arusoğlu (2008), and a personal information form prepared by researchers were used in research. As a result, a significant relationship was determined between orthorexia nervosa and exercise addiction. Given the strong association between eating disorders and exercise addiction, future studies might benefit from qualitative research, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses to investigate the relationship between personality types and different types of eating disorders, and to examine the connection between personality traits and the levels of physical exercise.