Elsevier

Comprehensive Psychiatry

Volume 49, Issue 4, July–August 2008, Pages 353-358
Comprehensive Psychiatry

Prevalence of exercise dependence and other behavioral addictions among clients of a Parisian fitness room

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2007.12.005Get rights and content

Abstract

Aim of the Study

Exercise dependence is an inadequate pattern of exercise leading to clinically significant negative consequences. Subjects present loss of control of their physical activity, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms when they do not practice sport. We studied the prevalence of exercise dependence among clients of a Parisian fitness room. We also assessed alcohol and nicotine use disorders, 2 other “socially tolerated” behavioral addictions (compulsive buying and Internet addiction), and 2 disorders related to anxiety focused on the body (bulimia and hypochondria).

Method

All clients of the fitness room 18 years and older were invited to participate in the study. Three hundred subjects were included; 125 (42%) presented diagnostic criteria of exercise dependence. Unsurprisingly, exercise dependents spent more hours each day in the fitness center practicing (2.1 vs 1.5 hours per day). They went to the fitness center more often each week (3.5 vs 2.9 days per week). Exercise addicts smoked less; alcohol consumption was equivalent in both groups. Compulsive buying was significantly more frequent in exercise dependents (63% vs 38%), which means they scored higher in the compulsive buying scale (5.4 vs 4.1). Prevalence of hypochondria was equivalent in both groups, but scores in the Whiteley Index of Hypochondria were higher (4.1 vs 3) in the exercise-dependent group. Bulimia was significantly more frequent among exercise dependents (70% vs 47%), who also presented a higher number of bulimic episodes each week (2.5 vs 1.3). Subjects with exercise dependence spent more time on their computer each day (3.9 vs 2.4 hours per day). We found no difference regarding time spent using Internet, the number of e-mails sent or received, and their time at speaking on a cellular phone.

Conclusion

Our results lead to systematically study the addictive relation to exercise among regular clients of the fitness rooms. Exercise addicts are exposed to negative consequences for their excess of physical activity. Exercise addiction is also associated to compulsive buying, bulimia, and, in a lesser extent, hypochondria.

Introduction

Regular physical activity has many physical and psychological benefits [1]. Excessive physical activity, however, has negative consequences; and it may result in exercise dependence when it becomes an all-consuming activity [2]. Exercise dependence is a craving for physical activity that results in extreme exercise and generates negative physiological (overuse injuries, tolerance) and psychological symptoms (negative affect when unable to exercise) [3]. Hausenblas and Giacobbi [2] proposed diagnostic criteria to distinguish exercise dependence. They describe exercise dependence as an inadequate pattern of exercise leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by 3 or more of the following: (1) tolerance, which is defined as either a need for significantly increased amounts of exercise to achieve the desired effect or a diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of exercise; (2) withdrawal as manifested by anxiety and fatigue when the amount of exercise decreases; (3) exercise is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than it was intended; (4) loss of control of the sportive or physical activity; (5) excessive time spent in activities necessary to obtain or prepare exercise; (6) conflicts: social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up because of exercise; and (7) continuance: exercise is continued despite knowledge of a physical problem caused by exercise.

Zmijewski and Howard [4] assessed prevalence of exercise dependence among 237 college undergraduates; 45.9% of them presented 3 or more symptoms of exercise dependence. Women reported more often than men that they craved exercise and became tenser if they were unable to exercise. The number of exercise-dependence symptoms was significantly positively correlated with problematic attitudes toward eating (ie, bulimia or anorexia). Other studies found that scores of exercise dependence are higher among marathon runners [3]. Body builders often present exercise dependence and high level of body dissatisfaction. They engage in physical activity to try to modify their body shape. Weightlifters and runners also have a high level of body dissatisfaction [5].

Exercise dependence seems closely related to bulimia. Bulimics often use physical exercise to compensate the effect of excessive food intake [6]. Excessive exercise is so frequent among bulimics that it is part of the diagnostic criteria for bulimia. Other works showed that individuals with eating pathology and body image disturbance tend to exercise excessively [7]. Lastly, subjects presenting exercise dependence have a high level of anxiety about the shape of their body and their physical health [5].

Section snippets

Aim of the study

We pursued the analysis of exercise dependence in a French population. We tried to answer the following questions:

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    What is the prevalence of exercise dependence among clients of a fitness room? We assessed for this purpose exercise dependence among all consecutive clients of a Parisian fitness center. We chose this population because it represents subjects who regularly practice physical exercise. They go to the fitness center to relax, for leisure, and to improve their global state of health.

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    Do

Selection of the population

To select a population as close as possible to “normal practicers of sport and fitness,” we proposed our questionnaire to all consecutive clients of a Parisian fitness room. This fitness center offers many kinds of exercise including aerobics, body building, and gymnastics. All clients 18 years and older were invited to participate in the study. We did not preselect a population of clients.

Interviews

Interviews were carried out between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm in the gymnasium area itself. We went on with the

Results

Three hundred clients of the fitness club were included (126 women and 174 men). Only 3 clients (2 women and 1 man) refused to participate in the study. Their average age was 28.6 years.

Discussion

The prevalence rate of exercise dependence found in our sample (42%) is congruent with results from previous studies conducted in populations of subjects involved in physical activity. In a sample of 19 288 adolescents from the general population, de Moor et al [14] found 51.4% of regular exercisers (with a minimum of 60 minutes weekly). Blaydon and Lindner [6] found that 28% of nonprofessional athletes present exercise dependence. No other study, to our knowledge, assessed systematically

Conclusion

The main result of our work is the assessment of high prevalence of exercise dependence among clients of a fitness center. Forty-five percent of these members present criteria of exercise dependence. They have a craving for physical exercise, and they experience withdrawal reactions when trying to reduce the time devoted to sportive activity. This observation incites to study systematically the addictive relation to exercise and sports among regular clients of fitness rooms. Diagnostic criteria

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