Statistical analysis about diffusion of exercise addiction in Sicily

Abstract

Exercise Addiction (EA) is a behavioural dysfunction marked by uncontrolled compulsion towards all kinds of physical activity. With the purpose of understanding the epidemiology of this steadily increasing phenomenon, we have done a statistical analysis about some data obtained through the administration of an onlinequestionnaire (Google forms): the same one was also converted into paper-questionnaire and then it has been administered in many gyms in Palermo and Trapani (Sicily-Italy). The sample examined consists of 976 people aged between 14 and 65 (47.3% of them are women and 52.7% are men). For 53.8% of analysed people, physical activity is one of the most important things of their life. In fact, 18% of them declared to have conflicts with family or friends, because of the excessive hours dedicated to sport. Moreover, 86.2% of them pointed out that physical activity is a mood-booster. Probably for this reason, 49.6% of them claimed that they have drastically increased the number of hours devoted to physical activities in last years. Now, the most impressive statistic is the following one: 23.5% of surveyed declared that they get restless and nervous if they are unable to perform the training. Thanks to the last data, a clear symptom of craving emerged. It is very complicated to make a diagnosis of EA: however, through these questionnaires, the data indicate the presence of behaviours related to the Exercise Addiction. For this reason, it is necessary to act with preventive and information works in order to stem this not fully known phenomenon as much as possible.