Background: People who work out could have an excessive concern for diet and body weight and thus be more prone to have eating disorders. Aim: To compare psychological and behavioral traits between subjects with clinically relevant eating disorders and subjects that work out regularly. Subjects and methods: The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40) and the eight items of the Eating Disorders Inventory were administered to 151 patients that fulfilled the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for eating disorders and to 396 subjects who work out regularly in gymnasiums (136 males). Results: Eighteen percent of subjects that worked out (5 males and 67 females) scored within the pathological range in the EAT-40. These subjects were classified as having a subclinical eating disorder. When comparing the EDI scores of these subjects with those of patients with clinically relevant eating disorders, they had a similar Drive for thinness (p= 0.413), Body dissatisfaction (p= 0.365), Maturity fears (p= 0.190) and Perfectionism (p= 0.907). Females had similar Interpersonal distrust (p= 0.709) scores. Males had similar Maturity fears (p= O.119), Perfectionism (p= 0.253) and Interpersonal distrust (p= 0.767) scores. Conclusions: Subjects that work out regularly and have subclinical eating disorders, display similar drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, immaturity and perfectionism traits, than patients suffering from clinically relevant eating disorders (Rev Méd Chile 2002; 130: 287-94)