Exercise addiction is real, but often overstated

With fitness culture booming and "no days off" mindsets trending, new research is challenging common assumptions about "exercise addiction"—finding that the issue is real but often misunderstood and overstated.

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A major international review involving Flinders University researchers found 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 Journal of Behavioral Addictions, shows that exercise addiction is marked by a loss of control in which 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.

Professor Zsolt Demetrovics, an addiction expert and Matthew Flinders Professor of Mental Health and Wellbeing, cautioned against alarm.

"Widely quoted figures suggest up to 42% of some exercising populations are at risk of being labeled addicted to exercise," said Demetrovics, from Flinders' College of Human Sciences and Culture and director of the Flinders Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing (FIMHWell).

"While screening tools can indicate possible risk, they cannot diagnose exercise addiction, meaning the line is often blurred between genuine harm and healthy commitment," said study co-author and Professor of Psychology Attila Szabo, from Széchenyi István University in Hungary.

"As a result, highly motivated athletes and regular exercisers can be misclassified, but it's important to differentiate between dedication to fitness and addiction."

The study highlights that passion, discipline and high training loads—especially among athletes—are generally positive rather than problematic.

"The key difference is whether exercise is a choice or something a person feels compelled to do," Demetrovics said.

"Underlying drivers are often more complex than the workouts themselves, with social pressures around body image and performance, alongside mental health challenges like anxiety and depression, playing a significant role.

"In many cases, excessive exercise is linked to deeper issues such as eating disorders or other compulsive behaviors."

Adding to the confusion, "exercise addiction" is not currently recognized as a formal medical diagnosis. More than 30 different assessment tools exist, with no clear consensus—making it difficult to define, measure or identify cases consistently.

"This has led to inflated estimates and a tendency to pathologize normal, healthy exercise," Demetrovics said.

Lead authors Dr. Bhavya Chhabra from ELTE Eötvös Loránd University and Szabo said there are clear warning signs when a person exercises excessively to the point of losing control.

"Exercising through pain or injury, feeling anxious or guilty when missing sessions, or consistently prioritizing training over rest, relationships or responsibilities are signals that exercise may be shifting from something enjoyable to something compulsive," Szabo said.

"Our message isn't to exercise less—it's to exercise smarter by building in rest and recovery days, focusing on overall well-being rather than appearance or performance, and seeking support early if exercise starts to feel like an obligation rather than a choice."

The study also highlights the need for better awareness among health professionals, coaches and the wider community, along with stronger evidence—particularly long-term and clinical research—to better understand when exercise crosses the line.

"In a culture that celebrates pushing harder, more isn't always better, and staying healthy means knowing when to pull back as well as when to push forward," Demetrovics said.

More information: Bhavya Chhabra et al, Exercise addiction: A review and evaluation of current research and theory, Journal of Behavioral Addictions (2026). DOI: 10.1556/2006.2025.00336

Provided by Flinders University