Excessive exercise and IPED use among sport disciplines

ABSTRACT

Background: Physical distancing under the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on lifestyles, including exercise routines. In this study, we examined the difference of tendency of addictive behaviors, such as excessive exercise and the usage of the image and performance-enhancing drug (IPED) across 12 sport disciplines Method: A large cross-sectional sample of the adult population (N= 2,295) was surveyed. The use of IPED was assessed in conjunction with psychometric measures such as the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI) and the Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI). The participants were grouped into activity group (AG) and non-activity group (NAG) according to the presence or absence of their exercise habits. The results were compared between these groups, as well as across sport disciplines. Results: The frequency of IPEDs use was higher among AG (34.6%) than NAG (14.6%). The logistic regression analysis revealed that scores equal to or above cutoff points, in both the EAI and AAI, predicted the IPED use. Regarding the differences across the various sports disciplines, those who were involved in practicing Weight Lifting and Cross-Fit were found to be more at risk of excessive exercising and more inclined to use a wide range of IPED. Conversely, those who were engaged in walking is low EAI as well as a low rate of IPED use. Conclusions: These results may indicate that excessive exercise is associated with the risk of cross-addiction with substance intake, particularly in disciplines that demand high-intensity functional training.