Abstract
Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) is an eating disorder marked by an excessive control over the quality of the food eaten. Some groups present a higher prevalence of ON and people practicing sports seems to be a population at risk. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of ON in endurance athletes and to compare their prevalence with the ones recorded in the sedentary population and in athletes playing other sports. A cross-sectional survey was carried in Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, among 549 participants in local sports events aged between 18 and 40 years old. The questionnaire assessed socio-demographic characteristics, physical activity, nutrition and diet, the ORTO-15 questionnaire and Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ). The sample was stratified according to the minutes of sport practiced in a week and the type of sport played. Crosstab chi-square analyses to determine group differences on categorical variables (e.g. gender), and ANOVAs or t tests to determine group differences on continuous variables were performed. When required, post hoc analyses were performed. Linear and logistic regressions were performed in order to investigate potential predictors of orthorexia. The EHQ mean scores ware significantly higher in people who practice sports >150 minutes/week. EHQ score resulted to be positively correlated with endurance sport practice >150 minutes/week, with a coefficient of 2.407 (I.C.95% [0.27;4.54], p = 0.027). Analyses carried out suggested a correlation between endurance sport practice and ON. Further studies should be performed to identify diagnostic criteria and to compare different questionnaire used to assess them.
Highlights
IntroductionHealthy eating can be an obsessive concern that becomes the main purpose of life
For some individuals, healthy eating can be an obsessive concern that becomes the main purpose of life
The present study found no association between the Body Mass Index and Orthorexia Nervosa" (ON) symptomatology, but coherently to previous paper a negative correlation between BMI and ON has not found, suggesting that ON is distinct from anorexia nervosa (AN), which is marked by an excessively low BMI [34]
Summary
Healthy eating can be an obsessive concern that becomes the main purpose of life. This condition has been called "Orthorexia Nervosa" (ON), with the prefix "Ortho" meaning correct, straight or true [1,2]. ON common symptoms are the adherence to extremely restrictive diets, a marked attention in the preparation of food and/or rituals.
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