Influence Of Competition Level On The Risk Of Exercise Addiction In Adolescents

PURPOSE: We studied the relationship between the risk of exercise addiction (REA) and levels of competition in adolescents. METHODS: In 9,170 adolescents (49% girls, 15.2+1.8 yrs), we examined the risk of exercise addiction (REA) according to the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI) and several data on competition level, physical activity and training (years, h/week and day/week). Based on self-reported answers, responders are divided into five groups: 1,039 non-sport inactive, 535 non-sport active, 3,165 non-competitive sport, 2,596 low-competition, 1,835 high-competition (national and international). In the EAI, ranged 6-30, scores ≥24 indicate a high risk of exercise addiction, HREA. RESULTS: The REA in the total sample is higher in boys than in girls (17.5+5.1 vs. 15.4+5.6, F(1)=369,7, p<0.05). However, we show that sex does not influence the REA of adolescents who compete at a high level during adolescence (boys 19.4+4.4 vs. girls 19.4+4.6, p=0.980). Regarding to age, at 17-19 the REA increases in both boys and girls. REA levels increase significantly with competition (10.6+4.5 inactive, 11.5+4.3 active, 15.9+4.8 no-competitive, 18.4+4.6 low-competition, 19.4+4.5 high-competition, all p<0.05). Our results also show that the highest prevalence of HREA is in high-competition (boys 17.8% and girls 18.5%). There is greater REA in individual sports than in collective sports, in boys (19.2+4.5 vs. 18.8+4.4, F(1)=4.9, p<0.05) and in girls (19.1+4.7 vs. 18.1+4.9, F(1) 17.4, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results to suggest that higher levels of competition are associated with increased risk of exercise addiction, in both boys and girls. This research was funded by a grant from the University of Zaragoza, Spain (Grant Number 216167), and the Government of Aragón (Grant Number S25_23R).