Exercise Addiction: Validation of the Exercise Addiction Inventory, Prevalence Rates, Eating Disorders, Personality Traits and Leptin Levels

Exercise addiction is characterized by excessive and obsessive exercise patterns which eventually leads to pain, injury and loss of social relations. The research focuses on the prevalence rates of exercise addiction in fitness and football cultures. The Exercise Addiction Inventory is validated and used to compare exercisers with and without addiction. Personality traits, eating disorder symptoms and leptin profiles are investigated aiming for a characteristic of people in risk of exercise addiction.