The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between orthorexia nervosa, perfectionism, exercise addiction, exercise motivation and body image satisfaction in a sample of registered and recreational athletes. Orthorexia nervosa (ON) refers to an obsessive fixation on healthy eating, which includes compulsive behavior and accompanying mental preoccupation with restrictive dietary rules to achieve optimal health. The sample consisted of 376 athletes (140 registered and 236 recreational) and the results show that 2.3% of athletes meets the criteria for orthorexia nervosa. The results showed a statistically significant difference in orthorexic behaviors when the status of the athlete and the type of sport were considered. Registered athletes showed a higher tendency than recreational ones and athletes who participate in sports with a ball showed a higher tendency to orthorexia nervosa than those who participate in sports belonging to category Other (eg. yoga, pilates, horse riding). Furthermore, significant predictors of orthorexic behavior in female athletes are exercise addiction, athletes status (registered or recreational), perfectionism and extrinsic exercise motives. On the other hand, in male athletes exercise addiction, perfectionism and extrinsic exercise motives proved to be significant predictors. The findings indicate the importance of perfectionism, exercise addiction and extrinsic motives in explaining orthorexia nervosa in both sexes.