Exercise addiction, social interaction, and the moderating effects of disordered eating among adults aged 18–35

Physical exercise is beneficial to physical health and social well-being. However, with extreme volumes, exercise may lead to addiction symptoms comparable with substance use and gambling disorders. Social dysfunction is a crucial element that constitutes exercise addiction (EA), which is commonly referred to the conflicts with significant others. Nonetheless, it remains unclear if EA also correlates with other social interaction aspects. This study aimed to determine the relationships between EA risk and different dimensions of social interaction while examining the moderation of eating disorder (ED), which is a common comorbidity in EA. A cross-sectional online survey was implemented with the Revised Exercise Addiction Inventory along with self-reported physical activity (PA), four dimensions of social interaction (social support, perceived discrimination, fear of missing out [FoMO], and social reward), and ED symptoms among 221 young adults. Results revealed that none of the social interaction aspects has a significant main effect on EA risk when sex, PA, depression, and ED were controlled ( p s > 0.05). However, our data demonstrated the moderating effects of ED, with FoMO (β = 0.24, p = .01) and discrimination (β = 0.27, p = .01) being significantly correlated with increased EA risk, only among individuals with heightened ED symptoms. Yet, these psychosocial variables were not related to PA ( p s > 0.05). The present study suggests that regular exercise and enhanced social well-being may not always coexist. Instead, increased sensitivity to social disconnection and discrimination may occur when pathological exercise is developed, but these associations are subjected to ED symptoms. This study provides preliminary evidence that EA shares psychosocial correlates with other addictive behaviors such substance use disorders.