INTRODUCTION: Currently, good appearance is a synonym to success, health and determination. So as to, the modern society overwhelms the individuals to follow beauty stereotypes. The heritage of this capitalist and selfish society is the psychological appearance disorders and the psychological dependence associated with them. Among these, we can mention vigorexy and exercise dependence. OBJECTIVES: I) to compare vigorexy levels and exercise dependence among gym goers and bodybuilders, II) to corelate the variables on physical practice (time of practice, weekly frequency and sessions time) to the frequency dimensions of vigorexy and exercise dependence; and, III) to compare vigorexy levels according to the exercise dependence groups (dependent or in risk, not symptomatic dependent and not asymptomatic dependent). METHODS: The sample was composed of 151 male gym goers (27.66 ± 6.54- year-old and 27.56 ± 5.03 BMI) and 25 bodybuilders (30.80 ± 5.54-year-old and 26.72 ± 4.24 BMI). The participants answered the Exercise Dependence Scale and the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory. The statistical analysis involved descriptive, univariated normality, comparative and correlational analyses. RESULTS: The main results were: I) absence of differences between gym goers and bodybuilders concerning vigorexy levels and exercise dependence, II) training session time is positively correlated with most of the dimensions of the exercise dependence, and, III) the group classified as dependent or in risk reveals medium superior levels of vigorexy. CONCLUSION: Lastly, it was found that both in bodybuilders and gym goers, the higher the vigorexy level, the higher the exercise dependence wit this correlation is higher in bodybuilders.
body dysmorphic disorders; body image; resistance training
