ArticlePloS one2019
The emergence of Exercise Addiction, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and other image-related psychopathological correlates in fitness settings: A cross sectional study.
Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
51 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 123 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Maladaptive exercise: the hidden role of physical activity and sport professionals in the early detection of eating disorders.Journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- From social media to body image distress: Problematic internet use, exercise addiction, and enhancement drugs use across countries.Journal of behavioral addictions · 2026Article
- Associations between muscle dysmorphia-related body image concerns, physical activity, and body composition: a cross-sectional study among young Asian adults in Malaysia.Journal of physiological anthropology · 2026Article
- Compulsive exercise in adults with trichotillomania and skin picking disorder.Journal of behavioral addictions · 2026Article
- Body dysmorphic disorder among patients who have follow-up in the dermatology unit in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.BMC psychiatry · 2026Article
- The prediction role of perfectionism on exercise addiction in college students: chain-mediated effects of self-esteem and social anxiety.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Non-medical use of exogenous testosterone and anabolic-androgenic substances in young men: health, psychological, and fertility consequences.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Review
- The roles of body ımage, drive for muscularity, and spiritual well-being in the relationship between disordered eating and exercise addiction among sports science students: a moderated model.Journal of eating disorders · 2025Article
- Muscle Dysmorphia, Obsessive-Compulsive Traits, and Anabolic Steroid Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Exercise addiction and disordered eating in young Lebanese regular sport practitioners: the indirect role of body appreciation and body dysmorphic concerns.Journal of eating disorders · 2025Article
- Exploring Exercise Addiction, Self-Esteem, and Early Maladaptive Schemas: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Female University Students.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Performance-enhancing substances in sport: A scientometric review of 75 years of research.Drug testing and analysis · 2025Review
- Self-objectification and commentary on physical appearance predict exercise dependence in young Chinese males: a study from a cognitive-behavioral perspective.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- The influence of social media and cultural ideals on body dysmorphic disorder among adult males in the UAE.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Factors associated with the use of benzodiazepine and opioid prescription drug in the student population: a cross-sectional study.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Effect of Social Media on Diet, Lifestyle, and Performance of Athletes: A Review of Current Evidence.Current nutrition reports · 2024Review
- Exercise Addiction and Intimate Partner Violence: The Role of Impulsivity, Self-Esteem, and Emotional Dependence.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Family Functioning Styles and Exercise Addiction: Disengaged, Enmeshed, and Rigid Family Patterns Are Associated with Exercise Addiction.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2024Article
- Profiling and assessing the risks of image- and performance-enhancing drugs use during the COVID-19 lockdown.Frontiers in public health · 2024Observational
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
15 authors at 6 institutions in 5 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionIn a society that perpetuates the strive for a perfect appearance, a fit body has become synonymous with success, but simultaneously hard to achieve. This represents a fertile ground for the development of Exercise Addiction (EA) alongside other disorders, such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). This study aims to explore the diffusion of EA in fitness settings in the United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Hungary and the previously unexplored association with appearance anxiety, BDD, self-esteem and the use of fitness supplements.
methodsA large cross-sectional sample (N = 1711) was surveyed in fitness settings using the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI) and Rosenberg's Self Esteem Scale (RSE) in addition to questions surrounding the use of fitness supplements.
resultsCompulsive exercise, appearance anxiety and low self-esteem were present in this sample according to the psychometric measures used (EAI, AAI, RSE). 11.7% scored over the cut off for EA, with alarming peaks in the Netherlands (20.9%) and the United Kingdom (16.1%). 38.5% were found at risk of BDD, mainly female (47.2%). 39.8% used fitness enhancing supplements without medical consultation (95.5%). This cohort of supplement users scored higher in both EAI and AAI. The logistic regression model revealed a strong association between the consumption of sport products and the level of EA across the sample with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.03. Other co-variable factors among female were appearance anxiety (AAI; OR 1.59) and to a lesser extent self-esteem (RSE) (OR 1.08).
conclusionsThis study identified a high risk of EA, appearance anxiety and BDD amongst a cohort of gym users internationally. The previously-unexplored association between these disorders and the unsupervised use of a variety of fitness products, including illicit drugs, highlights the need for informed and integrated responses targeting such vulnerable individuals.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.