TY - JOUR

T1 - The exercise paradox: An interactional model for a clearer conceptualization of exercise addiction

AU - Egorov, A.Y.

AU - Szabo, A.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Exercise addiction is one of the most keenly researched topics in behavioural addictions. It is a unique form of addiction, because in contrast to other addictive morbidities it is carried out with major physical-effort often leading to injury. The current evaluation highlights that most of the published studies report the risk for exercise addiction, as measured with various tools, rather than actual clinical cases. The unrealistic preponderance of exercise addiction, ranging from 0.3% to 77%, reported in the literature is attributed to the lack of an adequate conceptual model for the disorder. Extant theories of exercise addiction are reviewed and it is pinpointed that the idea of its evolutionary genesis, or the progressive nature from healthy to unhealthy exercise patterns, drives research into the wrong direction. As an alternative, an interactional model is offered accounting for the adoption, maintenance, and transformation (or misuse) of exercise behaviour. The model incorporates a "black-box" in whic

AB - Exercise addiction is one of the most keenly researched topics in behavioural addictions. It is a unique form of addiction, because in contrast to other addictive morbidities it is carried out with major physical-effort often leading to injury. The current evaluation highlights that most of the published studies report the risk for exercise addiction, as measured with various tools, rather than actual clinical cases. The unrealistic preponderance of exercise addiction, ranging from 0.3% to 77%, reported in the literature is attributed to the lack of an adequate conceptual model for the disorder. Extant theories of exercise addiction are reviewed and it is pinpointed that the idea of its evolutionary genesis, or the progressive nature from healthy to unhealthy exercise patterns, drives research into the wrong direction. As an alternative, an interactional model is offered accounting for the adoption, maintenance, and transformation (or misuse) of exercise behaviour. The model incorporates a "black-box" in whic

KW - Dependence

KW - Exercise abuse

KW - Research method

KW - Review

KW - Theory

M3 - Article

VL - 2

SP - 199

EP - 208

JO - Journal of Behavioral Addictions

JF - Journal of Behavioral Addictions

SN - 2062-5871

IS - 4

ER -