With fitness culture booming and “no days off” mindsets trending, new research is challenging common assumptions about “exercise addiction” — finding the issue is real, but often misunderstood and overstated.
A major international review involving Flinders University researchers finds that while regular exercise is essential for good health, it can tip into harmful territory for a small number of people. The study, published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, shows that exercise addiction is marked by a loss of control where people continue training through injury or illness, or at the expense of work, relationships and everyday life — leading to physical harm, emotional distress and strained connections.
Zsolt Demetrovics, an expert in addictive behaviours and Matthew Flinders Professor in Mental Health and Wellbeing at Flinders’ College of Human Sciences and Culture, cautions against alarm. “Widely quoted figures suggest up to 42% of some exercising populations are at risk” of addiction, he said — but screening tools can only indicate possible risk, not diagnose the condition. “Being dedicated to fitness is not addiction,” said study co-author Attila Szabo, professor at Széchenyi István University in Hungary.
“The key difference is whether exercise is a choice, or something compelled,” said Demetrovics. Underlying drivers include social pressures around body image and mental health challenges like anxiety and depression. “Exercise addiction” is not currently recognised as a formal medical diagnosis — more than 30 different assessment tools exist with no clear consensus, which Demetrovics said “has led to inflated estimates and pathologising normal exercise.”
Dr. Bhavya Chhabra and Professor Szabo identified warning signs: “Exercising through pain, anxiety when missing sessions, prioritising training over rest and relationships signal compulsion.” But Szabo was clear about the takeaway: “Our message isn’t to exercise less — exercise smarter with rest, recovery and seeking support early.”
The study highlights the need for better awareness among health professionals and stronger long-term research. “In a culture celebrating pushing harder, more isn’t always better,” Demetrovics said.
Journal: Journal of Behavioral Addictions
DOI: 10.1556/2006.2025.00336
Article Title: Exercise addiction: A review and evaluation of current research and theory
Publication Date: 15-Jul-2026
Source: EurekAlert