BackgroundOrthorexia Nervosa (ON) and exercise addiction (ExAdd) are two phenomena believed to overlap. We conducted a meta-analysis exploring the link between ON and (addictive) exercise behaviors.MethodsA systematic review of major databases and gray literature was carried out for studies reporting on ON and (addictive) exercise behaviors. Random effects meta-analyses were undertaken calculating correlations between ON and (addictive) exercise behaviors. A sub-group analysis investigated gender differences.ResultsTwenty-five studies with 10,134 participants (mean age = 25.21; 56.4% female) were included. Analyses showed a small overall correlation between ON and exercise (21 studies, r = 0.12, 95% CI |0.06–0.18|) and a medium overall correlation between ON and ExAdd (7 studies, r = 0.29, 95% CI |0.13–0.45|). Gender differences were negligible.ConclusionsOrthorexic eating correlated slightly and moderately with exercise and ExAdd, respectively, expressing some unique and shared variance of these behaviors. While this does not suggest ON and addictive exercising to be independent, it does not indicate substantial comorbidity. Future research should focus on clinical relevance, underlying mechanisms, vulnerability, and risk factors.

Both, psychosocial stress and exercise in the past have been used as stressors to elevate saliva cortisol and change state anxiety levels. In the present study, high-school students at the age of 14 were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: (1) an exercise group (n = 18), that was running 15 minutes at a medium intensity level of 65-75% HRmax, (2) a psychosocial stress group (n = 19), and (3) a control group (n = 18). The psychosocial stress was induced to the students by completing a standardized intelligence test under the assumption that their IQ scores would be made public in class. Results display that only psychosocial stress but not exercise was able to significantly increase cortisol levels but decreased cognitive state anxiety in adolescents. The psychosocial stress protocol applied here is proposed for use in future stress studies with children or adolescents in group settings, e.g., in school.

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Context: Due to great variability of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis, research has to produce better-controlled findings to make a more meaningful statement regarding the effect of exercise training (ET) on the cortisol awakening response (CAR), especially in children. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different ET interventions on the CAR in children. Design and setting: We conducted a short-term training study for 10 weeks in primary schools in Westphalia, Germany. Participants: 71 children (9–10 years old) were randomly assigned to a cardiovascular exercise group ( n = 27), a motor exercise group ( n = 23), or a control group ( n = 21). Intervention: An experienced instructor trained the children in an after-school setting in 45 min sessions, three times a week over the course of 10 weeks. Main outcome measure: CAR (0, +30 min) was assessed on 2 schooldays one week apart before and after the 10-week intervention. A Shuttle Run Test was performed to determine the cardiovascular fitness. Motor fitness was assessed using the Heidelberg Gross Motor Test. Results: Children who enhanced their cardiovascular fitness over the course of the intervention showed an increased CAR after the intervention time ( B = 0.213), whereas children who underwent a motor exercise intervention and at the same time gained in motor fitness exhibited a decreased CAR after intervention ( B = −0.188). Conclusions: It has been speculated that other neurobiological pathways are activated by different exercise interventions. The extent to which these ET effects on CAR can be applied in clinical settings needs further investigation. Précis: The 10-weeks longitudinal effects of cardiovascular vs. motor exercise interventions (three times a week) on CAR in children show that these interventions exert different effects on hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity.

Regular physical activity is an empirically well-documented health behavior. Despite the fact that many individuals intend to exercise, they often fail to implement this intention into behavior. Planning is an effective technique for translating physical activity intentions into actions. The present study aimed to examine relevant mediators and moderators in order to explain how and for whom intentions translate into action. In a longitudinal study, 108 participants (M age ϭ 31.17 years, 61 women) from different jobs completed measures for intention and trait self-control at baseline (T1), action planning and coping planning 4 weeks later (T2), and physical activity behavior and perceived stress another 4 weeks later (T3). A moderated mediation analysis indicated that perceived stress and trait self-control interact with physical activity intention to predict behavior. In particular, in individuals with low levels of perceived stress and medium-to-high trait self-control, intention and physical activity correlate positively. Unexpectedly, action planning facilitated behavior enactment only in individuals with low perceived stress and high trait self-control. In addition, when perceived stress and trait self-control were high, coping planning served as a significant mediator between intention and behavior. Our results highlight the moderating role of perceived stress and trait self-control in the context of intention and physical activity behavior. Under specific perceived stress levels, enactment of behavior based on intentions and planning is supported by high trait self-control. Examining potential mediators and moderators of the intention-behavior gap seems to be a fruitful approach to explain physical activity behavior.