COMPARISON OF HABITUAL RUNNERS AND ANOREXIA-NERVOSA PATIENTS

Psychological and physiological similarities have been proposed betwee n habitual runners and anorexia nervosa patients. Method: Twenty male runners, 20 female runners, and 17 anorexia nervosa patients were eval uated using several psychological measures (Minnesota Multiphasic Pers onality Inventory, Leyton Obsessional Inventory, and three measures of body image) and physiological measures (physical examination, anthrop ometric assessment, and exercise treadmill tests). Results: Anorexia n ervosa patients had significantly more evidence of psychopathology on all the psychological measures than either group of runners. There wer e suggestive similarities between female runners and anorexics on some of the body image tests. Fat content was in the normal range for both groups of runners and low in the anorexia nervosa group. Abnormalitie s were seen on the treadmill tests in all three groups, but there were no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Despite hypothe tical similarities, this study found that anorexia nervosa patients an d habitual runners have few similar psychological or physiological fea tures. (C) 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.