How early family experiences shape exercise addiction: A multiple mediation analysis of emotional dysregulation and body image.

ABSTRACT Exercise addiction (EA) involves compulsive excessive physical activity with potential adverse psychological effects. We examined its prevalence and psychobehavioral correlates using cross-sectional data from Taiwan, Malaysia, and India. We assessed EA using Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), with scores ≥24 indicating risk. General well-being was evaluated using WHO-5 Well-Being Index and perceived healthiness. Psychological distress was assessed via Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), while body image was assessed via Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI) and Drive for Leanness Scale (DLS). Eating behaviours were evaluated via Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ), Sick, Control, One, Fat, and Food (SCOFF), and Muscularity-Oriented Eating Test (MOET). Partial Pearson r correlation analyses and adjusted multivariate regression were performed to explore the relationship to EA. Pooled correlation and beta coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Among 2,680 participants, pooled prevalence of EA was 11%, highest in India (15%), followed by Taiwan (10%) and Malaysia (9%). Adjusted pooled bivariate analyses showed positive correlations between EAI and MDDI (estimate = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.22–0.54), MOET (estimate = 0.41; 95% CI = 0.20–0.58), and most other variables, except SCOFF. Pooled multivariates identified positive associations of EAI with WHO-5, perceived healthiness, MDDI-functional impairment, DLS, EDEQ (restraint and weight concern), and SCOFF, while MDDI-appearance intolerance and EDEQ shape concern were negatively associated. At-risk EA was linked to well-being, psychological distress, body image concerns, and eating disorders. Screening may aid early identification, especially in those with psychobehavioral issues.

Rugby union exhibits large variations in the idealised player physical profiles across positions. The pursuit of physique ideals with limited professional support can influence eating disorder symptomology, exercise compulsion, and low sexual drive. The primary aims were to (1) explore the prevalence of elite male rugby union players who are at risk for eating disorders, low sex drive, and exercise compulsion, and (2) explore the relationship between risk and players’ professional status, weight, age, and playing position. A secondary aim was to explore the nutritional service support and dietary monitoring practices experienced by the players. Participants were recruited from four elite professional rugby union squads in Ireland. Players (≥tier3) over 18 years of age and training ≥ three times per week were eligible. Participants completed the eating disorder examination questionnaire, exercise addiction inventory, and sex drive section of the low energy availability in males questionnaire. Ninety-seven players participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 22 ± 4 years. Eating disorder risk (9.3%), reported low sex drive (20.6%), and exercise compulsion (16.5%) was indicated. Players in the forwards position, regardless of professional status, reported higher eating concerns ( p = 0.03). No significant difference was identified between professional status or position when determining sex drive. Access to a nutritionist (99%) and dietary monitoring practices (68%) was reported by players. Awareness of low sex drive and disordered eating in elite rugby should be encouraged, alongside access to professional nutritional support. Further research is needed to understand the contextual risk factors in male players.

ABSTRACT This essay advances a philosophical concept of cosmic sport, understood as auto-agonistic physical activity striving for harmony with the natural elements and the environment. The emphasis is on the importance of hefty psycho-physical challenges, such as endurance sports, notably long trail-running. In times of climate change and mass extinction, pushing our limits leads to a positive recalibration with our living environment, I argue. The higher the effort, the closer the connection with and the sense of responsibility towards nature. To lay a foundation, two views on homo movens and sustainability will be discussed. First, the grasshopper-like, broadly oriented, hilarious ecosophical-playful perspective. And, second, the monomaniac, ant-like, titillating ascetological-painful perspective, referring to human beings as natural-born exercise addicts, ever longing for vertical challenges. To materialize my preference for the latter view, a specific sport will be put to the test: extreme trail-running. These in-vogue hour- or even day-long challenging trials off the beaten track have special benefits when it comes to taking us back where we evolutionary come from, and in terms of sustainability, as far as possible should return to. That is, the life of the long-distance running hunter, the industrious worker ant with a low ecological footprint. Well-performed deep immersion in extreme ascetic practices results in truly sustainable, cosmic sport.

The aim of the study is to explore exercise addiction in older adults and the psychological, social and biological factors underlying the exercise addiction. This study employed a cross-sectional design. 254 participants aged 65 and above were divided into exercise addicted and non-exercise addicted groups in the study. The exercise addiction of participants was assessed using the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI). Health-preserving behaviours were evaluated with the Health Protection Behaviour Scale (HPBS). Anxiety related to health was measured using the Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI), while death anxiety was assessed using the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS). In intergroup analyses, the EAI, HPBS and TDAS scores were higher in the Exercise Addicted Group compared to the Non-Exercise Addicted Group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.009, respectively). However, the HAI score was lower in the Exercise Addicted Group (p = 0.021). In addition, a positive correlation was observed between HPBS and EAI scores (r = 0.454, p < 0.001). No correlation was found between EAI scores and age (r = 0.028, p = 0.654) or HAI (r = -0.088, p = 0.162). This study found that individuals with exercise addiction had lower BMI, a lower proportion of women and higher education levels. Additionally, while positive relationships were observed between exercise addiction and both health-protective behaviours and death anxiety, a negative relationship was found with health anxiety. Correlation and regression analyses indicated that BMI and higher education level serve as protective factors against exercise addiction, whereas health-protective behaviours and death anxiety function as risk factors.

The association between exercise addiction and mental health problems: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is an obsession with healthy eating, characterized by compulsive behavior and a preoccupation with strict dietary rules aimed at achieving optimal health. This study investigated the relationship between ON, perfectionism, exercise addiction, exercise motives, and body esteem in recreational and registered athletes. Participants were 376 athletes aged 15–69 years ( M = 33.74, SD = 11.84), including 140 registered athletes (63 women) and 236 recreational exercisers (148 women). Results showed that registered athletes displayed stronger tendencies toward ON compared with recreational exercisers. Athletes in ball sports were also more prone to ON than those practicing activities such as yoga or Pilates. ON symptoms were predicted by body mass index, perfectionism, and exercise addiction, while exercise motivation and athlete status were not significant predictors. These findings have direct implications for the early identification and prevention of disordered eating in athletes.

Multiple mediation analyses on exercise addiction and muscularity-oriented eating in young adults.

Eating disorders (ED) are prevalent mental health conditions that significantly threaten the physical and psychological well-being of female athletes. The risk of ED is driven by the interplay of multiple factors, including sport-specific training environments, psychological vulnerabilities, and sociocultural pressures. Although existing research has identified several independent risk factors, a systematic understanding of the sport-related psychosocial mechanisms remains insufficient. This study aims to synthesize empirical evidence from the past five years to elucidate the multidimensional pathways of ED in female athletes, with a particular focus on intervention targets from a sport psychology perspective. A systematic literature review was conducted, retrieving English and Chinese articles published between 2017 and 2023 from databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and CNKI. A total of 30 empirical and review studies exploring the influencing factors of ED in female athletes were included. Thematic analysis was employed to extract key evidence across five dimensions: sports training environment, dietary behavior patterns, self-body-image perception, psychosocial mechanisms, and exposure to online media. 1) Sport Training Environment: Athletes in lean sports exhibit higher ED risks. Elite athletes face coach-driven body image pressures and competitive comparisons, while adolescents are more vulnerable due to sport-related pressures and low body image. 2) Dietary Behavior Patterns: Excessive pursuit of "healthy eating" or strict dietary restrictions exacerbate nutritional imbalances and self-punitive eating. Skipping meals and insufficient supplementation further increase risks. 3) Self-Body Image Perception: Over 25% of female athletes display irrational body dissatisfaction, particularly in aesthetic sports like ballet and gymnastics. 4) Psychosocial Mechanisms: Negative emotions and externally driven motivations (e.g., pleasing coaches, competitive goals) correlate with ED risk, while intrinsic motivation (e.g., self-enjoyment) protects high-intensity athletes. Exercise addiction indirectly triggers ED through motivational biases. 5) Online Media Exposure: "Thin-idealized" social media content heightens body comparison anxiety, with adolescents more prone to ED risk cycles due to frequent online interactions and reduced self-esteem. Eating disorders in female athletes result from the interaction between sport-related psychosocial mechanisms and environmental pressures. Recommendations include screening motivation types to enhance intrinsic motivation and emotional management, standardizing coach evaluations of body weight, restricting harmful body image promotion on social media, and developing integrated sport medicine and psychology prevention guidelines for aesthetic sports. Future research should validate sport psychology intervention tools and explore digital health information regulation pathways.

Background: The concept of exercise addiction is commonly understood as a repetitive behavior involving compulsive physical activity despite negative physical, psychological, or social consequences. There are several promising treatment options, including psychological, behavioral, and pharmacological approaches. Aim: This review aims to summarize and evaluate the current state of knowledge on the treatment of exercise addiction, with a particular focus on psychological and behavioral approaches and new potential therapeutic methods. Material and methods: A literature review was conducted using databases including PubMed and Google Scholar. The review examined studies, case reports, and theoretical frameworks on the classification, comorbidities, and treatment of exercise addiction, with a particular focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, and treatment methods adapted from other behavioral addictions. Results: The results indicate that cognitive-behavioral therapy is the primary recommended intervention for exercise addiction. Rational-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based approaches appear beneficial; however, further research is needed. A single case report described the use of quetiapine, with promising but isolated results. Treatment remains complicated due to comorbid disorders such as eating disorders, anxiety, and depression, all of which require concurrent management. Conclusions: Despite growing interest in exercise addiction, current evidence remains limited due to unclear diagnostic criteria, the homogeneity of study populations, and a lack of data on long-term outcomes. Future research should focus on clearly defining exercise addiction, conducting high-quality clinical trials on randomized groups, and evaluating the long-term effectiveness of therapies.

In this study, the relationships among physical exercise, psychological resilience, depression, and short video addiction were examined, and the sequential mediating roles of psychological resilience and depression were tested, with the objective of providing theoretical support for adolescent mental health interventions. In September 2024, convenience sampling was used to recruit 1,002 adolescents from 6 primary and secondary schools in Hunan, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Anhui Provinces, China. Paper questionnaires were administered and collected in classrooms by researchers and teachers. The survey covered sociodemographic information and four standardized scales: the Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale (2 items), the simplified Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Short Video Addiction Scale. Data were analyzed with SPSS 23.0 for descriptive and correlational statistics, and sequential mediation was tested using the PROCESS macro (Model 6). Physical exercise was negatively correlated with depression (r = -0.260) and short video addiction (r = -0.269) and positively correlated with psychological resilience (r = 0.229). Psychological resilience was negatively related to depression (r = -0.174) and short video addiction (r = -0.186), whereas depression was positively related to short video addiction (r = 0.345). Mediation analysis confirmed that psychological resilience and depression sequentially mediated the relationship between physical exercise and short video addiction. Physical exercise influences short video addiction both directly and indirectly by enhancing psychological resilience and reducing depression. These findings highlight the protective role of physical exercise in mitigating short video addiction and provide theoretical evidence for adolescent mental health interventions.

To explore the mechanism by which physical exercise influences internet addiction among chemistry majors and to analyze the chain mediating effects of perceived stress and loneliness. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 900 Chinese chemistry majors using the physical exercise rating scale, internet addiction scale, stress perception scale, and loneliness scale. The direct effect of physical exercise on internet addiction among chemistry majors was − 0.171. The effect sizes for perceived stress and loneliness, mediating between physical exercise and internet addiction, were − 0.010 and − 0.001, respectively. The chain mediating effect of perceived stress and loneliness was significant, with an effect size of − 0.002. (1) Physical exercise significantly negatively predicted perceived stress, loneliness, and internet addiction; (2) Both the direct and indirect effects of physical exercise on internet addiction among chemistry majors were significant. (3) Physical exercise significantly predicted internet addiction through the independent mediating effects of perceived stress and loneliness, and also significantly predicted internet addiction through the chain mediating effects of perceived stress and loneliness.

This study employed exercise dependence and four-phase models to investigate the relationship between passion for exercise and the risk of exercise addiction (REA) among practitioners of aerobic, anaerobic, and CrossFit exercises. Participants (N = 424; 60.8% female; mean age = 38.29 ± 9.71 years) were recruited from fitness centers and social media in Hungary. The sample included 234 CrossFit, 126 aerobic (e.g., running, cycling, swimming), and 64 anaerobic (bodybuilding) exercisers. Data were collected online on Qualtrics, which included demographic questions, the Exercise Addiction Inventory-3, and the Passion Scale-8. CrossFit participants exhibited the highest exercise frequency and intensity, with a greater prevalence of REA (25.2%) compared to the anaerobic (15.6%) and aerobic (14.3%) groups. CrossFitters also scored higher on salience, withdrawal symptoms, and passion. However, group differences in absolute REA scores vanished after controlling for passion and exercise characteristics. Gender differences emerged, with females showing a stronger affective connection to exercise and higher withdrawal symptoms. Passion was strongly correlated with REA (r = 0.55) and accounted for 28% of the variance in it. Further research is needed to distinguish between passion-driven exercise and addiction.

The paper presents the general methodological background and main methodological results of the 2023 wave of the National Survey on Addiction Problems in Hungary (NSAPH). The ultimate aim of the research was to provide a comprehensive epidemiological overview of addictive problems, including substance use-related behaviours and behavioural addictions) among the adult population in Hungary, complemented by some objectives to develop/refresh the conceptual framework and indicators. The study presents the measurement instruments used in the research, the sampling and data collection strategy employed, and the methodological results related to sample selection and the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments used. The survey was conducted on a nationally representative sample of 2200 gross, 1800 net population aged 18-64, using a mixed survey technique combining face-to-face interviewing with self-completion elements. The theoretical margin of error at the 95% confidence level is ±2.3%. Sample outliers were corrected by matrix weighting by stratum category. The data collection battery used in the survey covered substance use behaviours (smoking, alcohol and other psychoactive substance use), different behavioural addictions (problematic internet use, gaming disorder, problem social media use, problematic mobile phone use, gambling disorder, exercise addiction, eating disorders, work addiction, compulsive buying-shopping behaviour) and included instruments to map socio-demographic and psychological background. The reliability and validity of the data obtained along the target variables were analysed by means of indicators calculated on the basis of the correlations between the answers to the different logically related questions in the questionnaire, the proportion of missing and invalid answers, the proportion of consumption responses to a so-called dummy drug, and by examining the internal consistency of the standard scales used. Based on the proportion of consistent users in relation to the lifetime prevalence value, it can be concluded that for the majority of the substances tested, the lifetime prevalence values contain a higher proportion of consistent data. Compared to sociodemographic questions, which can be considered neutral, the proportion of missing and invalid responses for the addictive behaviours studied can be considered relatively high, but good compared to other sensitive questions. The degree of overestimation is negligible. Ove-rall, the methodological results of the OLAAP 2023 survey suggest that valid and reliable conclusions can be drawn from the survey data with regard to the current characteristics and patterns of the addictive behaviours under investigation. The trends in out-of-sample errors in substance use behaviour indicate that, in addition to the increased attention that is still needed, the careful interpretation of results and the use of estimation procedures developed over the years and continued in this research, we can rely somewhat greater confidence than before on results obtained using standard measurement instruments when analysing changes.

BackgroundAwareness of exercise addiction insight into warning signs such as loss of control, withdrawal, and continuation despite harm may be associated with exercise-motivation profiles, yet demographic moderators remain understudied in Türkiye.MethodsA cross-sectional, relational survey of 415 adults in Türkiye (mean age = 24.02 ± 5.93 years; range = 18–51) was conducted. Recruitment used an online convenience sample. Participants completed the Exercise Motivation Attitude Scale [EMAS; 20 items; subscales: Negative Attitudes and Thoughts (NAT), Positive Perspective and Health (PPH), Physical Appearance and Health (PAH)] and the Awareness for Exercise Addiction Scale (AFEAS), plus demographics and weekly activity frequency. Analyses employed Pearson correlations, independent-samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVAs (Welch with Games–Howell post-hoc when assumptions were violated; otherwise, Tukey HSD), reporting effect sizes (Cohen's d, partial η2) and 95% confidence intervals.ResultsOverall motivation correlated positively with awareness (r = 0.36, 95% CI [0.27, 0.44], p < 0.001). At the subscale level, PPH and PAH correlated positively with awareness, whereas NAT was near-null. Group comparisons showed no gender differences in overall motivation or awareness (AES borderline at p = 0.05). Education: non-monotonic differences (EMAS total: F(2, 412) = 8.74, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.041; AFEAS total: F(2, 412) = 11.30, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.052). Frequency: motivation was highest at ≥5 days/week and awareness peaked at 1–2 days/week (EMAS total: F(3, 411) = 9.91, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.067; AFEAS total: F(3, 411) = 8.10, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.056). Reliability was acceptable (EMAS total α ≈ 0.91 in this sample; AFEAS showed adequate internal consistency here and in prior validation).ConclusionsHealth- and appearance-oriented motivational attitudes are associated with greater awareness of exercise-addiction risk, whereas negative attitudes are not. Findings are associational and limited by the cross-sectional design and convenience sampling online; potential confounders (age, sex, activity level) were examined in group models. Post-hoc procedures controlled pairwise error (Games–Howell/Tukey); no additional global multiplicity correction was applied (limitation). Implications: Prevention programs should promote health-oriented motivation and screen for addiction risk, integrating brief psychoeducation into university and community counselling activities.

Background: Exercise is a promising non-pharmacological intervention for cocaine addiction but molecular mechanisms of exercise-related genes in addiction remain unclear. This study aimed to identify exercise-related signature genes for cocaine addiction and to assess the potential causal relationship between exercise and cocaine addiction using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: Midbrain transcriptomic data were analyzed for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and intersected with exercise-related genes. Functional enrichment, protein-protein interaction (PPI) and immune infiltration analyses explored their roles while signature genes were screened via LASSO/Random Forest and validated by ROC curves. GSEA explored pathways and MR confirmed exercise’s causal effect. Results: A total of 244 DEGs were identified, including 27 exercise-related, and six signature genes (CALM3, CCL2, CD44, CLIC1, JUN, VCAM1) showed AUC values between 0.714 and 0.868 in distinguishing cocaine-addicted individuals from controls. Functional analyses revealed enrichment in immune-inflammatory pathways, metabolic processes and neuro-immune interactions and immune infiltration analysis showed cocaine addicts had elevated pro-inflammatory cells, reduced regulatory cells and signature genes correlated with immune dysregulations. MR analysis suggested a statistically significant protective association between genetically proxied higher levels of exercise and cocaine addiction risk (p < 0.05). Conclusions: These six genes may be potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets, and exercise may protect against cocaine addiction by regulating immune-inflammatory responses, metabolic pathways and neuroplasticity, although further validation in larger, independent cohorts and experimental models is required.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the emotional eating status and orthorexia nervosa tendencies of 87 individuals aged 18–65 who had been attending fitness centers in the city center of Kirklareli for at least three months, and to examine their association with exercise addiction. Materials and Methods: Through a structured questionnaire, data on participants’ general characteristics, nutritional and physical activity habits, and body mass index (BMI) measurements were collected. The Exercise Addiction Scale (EAS-17) was employed to assess exercise addiction, the ORTO-11 scale to evaluate orthorexia nervosa, and the Emotional Eating Scale (EES) to measure emotional eating behaviors. Results: The mean age of the participants was 27.07±8.66 years (Median: 24, Min: 18, Max: 52); 56.3% were male, 74.7% were single, and 65.5% had a high school education or lower. According to the EAS cut-off points, 4.6% were at low risk, 49.6% at risk, 42.5% addicted, and 3.4% highly addicted. A statistically significant difference was observed between waist circumference and the mean scores of the “Excessive Focus” and “Mood Alteration” subscales of EAS (p=0.001). Similarly, no statistically significant association was found between total and subscale EAS scores and ORTO-11 total scores (p&gt;0.05). Discussion: The results of this study demonstrated that, among a substantial proportion of individuals engaged in exercise, no relationship was found between exercise addiction and tendencies toward orthorexia or emotional eating. Conclusion: It is considered beneficial for future studies to be conducted with larger sample sizes.

BackgroundExercise addiction (EA) is increasingly recognized as a behavioral disorder. Physicians in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR), who prescribe and practice exercise regularly, may represent a vulnerable group.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate EA and related factors in PMR physicians.MethodsIn this web-based cross-sectional survey (January-February 2025), 143 PMR physicians participated. The questionnaire included sociodemographic and occupational data and the validated Turkish version of the Exercise Addiction Scale (EAS). The EAS consists of 17 items rated on a five-point Likert scale, yielding scores of 17-85. Cut-off values classify participants as normal (17), low risk (18-34), at risk (35-51), addicted (52-69), or severely addicted (70-85). The Turkish validation demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.88). Statistical analyses were performed using R (version 4.4.0), including descriptive statistics and ordered logistic regression.ResultsOf 143 participants, 103 (72.0%) were female and 40 (28.0%) male, with a mean age of 36.9 ± 10.6 years. According to EAS, 17.5% were low risk, 64.3% at risk, and 18.2% addicted. Logistic regression identified weekly exercise frequency (odds ratios [OR]: 8.17 for 1-2 days, 9.92 for 3-5 days, 20.75 for >5 days), medical experience (OR: 0.20 for >10 years), and workplace (OR: 3.45 for secondary hospitals) as significant predictors (p < 0.05).ConclusionEA risk is high among PMR physicians. Awareness and preventive strategies are required, and further studies should explore additional risk factors.

ABSTRACT Exercise addiction is a behavior that may dysregulate athletic performance, and social and professional interactions of athletes. Whereas environmental factors including training routines and personal traits could contribute to exercise addiction, recent studies have emphasized the importance of genetic predisposition, leading to development of a subfield known as sports psychogenetics. In sports psychogenetics, ankyrin repeat and kinase domain containing 1 (ANKK1) and dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) genes, located on chromosome 11 in a close proximity, have attracted research interest due to their involvement in dopaminergic signaling playing a crucial role in reward processing, motivation, cognition and behavior. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate potential associations between 14 polymorphisms in ANKK1/DRD2 and exercise addiction among elite badminton players (n = 39) and elite wrestlers (n = 68). Exercise addiction was assessed using a psychometric screening instrument and allele frequencies of the selected polymorphisms were analyzed through genotyping with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray. Results indicated that two SNPs, rs7118900 and rs4436578, were significantly and independently associated with exercise addiction. Rs7118900 has previously been associated with an increased risk of drug addiction, neuroticism, and depressed effect whereas rs4436578 has been associated with neuroticism. In addition to those SNPS, rs2283265 and rs1125394 SNPs were also linked to exercise addiction in a branch-independent manner. Therefore, it is proposed that these SNPs could serve as genetic markers for identifying individuals at high risk of exercise addiction among athletes. However, further research is needed to understand the involvement of these SNPs in exercise addiction more comprehensively.

Eating disorders (ED) most often develop during adolescence and young adulthood. Therefore, university is deemed a period of risk due to increased academic demands and uncertainty about the future. Despite the high prevalence of ED among young adults, there is limited evidence regarding their association with non-substance behavioral addictions-such as mobile phone use and exercise addiction-in Mediterranean university populations. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of risk for ED and its association with risk factors among university undergraduate students. The association between ED risk and dieting, weight control behavior and the problematic use of mobile phones was also analyzed. Two thousand six undergraduates aged between 18-30 at the University of the Balearic Islands participated in a cross-sectional survey. This survey included assessments of ED risk (Eating Attitudes Test-26 items, EAT-26), exercise addiction (Exercise Addiction Inventory, EAI), mobile phone addiction (Questionnaire on Mobile Phone-Related Experiences, CERM), body shape satisfaction (Stunkard Figure Rating Scale), and personality (Ten Item Personality Measure, TIPI). Additionally, questions regarding binge eating, dieting and other weight control behaviors, as well as sociodemographic and anthropometric data were included. Among participants, 6.1% were found to be at risk for ED, with a higher prevalence in women than men (7.9% vs. 2.9%, p < 0.001). The logistic regression analysis showed that participants at risk were more responsible (OR = 1.410; p = 0.001), with lower emotional stability (OR = 0.810; p = 0.011), they had more frequent problems related to mobile phone (OR = 5.523; p < 0.001) and more risk of exercise addiction (OR = 8.965; p < 0.001). Furthermore, participants with ED risk performed more weight control behavior (OR = 2.808; p < 0.001), binge eating (OR = 1.887; p = 0.007) and dieting (OR = 7.465; p < 0.001 for successful diets; OR = 2.670; p = 0.011 for unsuccessful diets), and reported a desire for a lower body mass (OR = 4.411; p < 0.001). ED risk was found to be associated with more frequent problems of mobile phone use and more risk of exercise addiction. The risk for eating disorders was associated with following a diet but also with the intention of following a diet. Therefore, measuring addictive exercise, problematic phone use or the continuous intention to follow diets could contribute to early determine ED risk.