Posted on July 23, 2026
July 22, 2026by News Desk
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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 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
Expert in addictive behaviours and Matthew Flinders Professor in Mental Health and Wellbeing, Professor Zsolt Demetrovics, cautions against alarm
“Widely quoted figures suggest up to 42% of some exercising populations are at risk of being labelled addicted to exercise,” says Professor 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 which means the line is often blurred between genuine harm and healthy commitment,” says study co-author, 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 that being dedicated to fitness is not the same as 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,” says Professor Demetrovics
“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 behaviours.”
Adding to the confusion, “exercise addiction” is not currently recognised 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
“It has led to inflated estimates and a tendency to pathologise normal, healthy exercise,” says Professor Demetrovics
Lead authors Dr. Bhavya Chhabra from the ELTE Eötvös Loránd University and Professor Szabo say there are clear warning signs when exercise is done excessively to the point where a person loses control
“Exercising through pain or injury, feeling anxious or guilty when missing sessions, or consistently prioritising training over rest, relationships or responsibilities are the signals that exercise may be shifting from something enjoyable to something compulsive,” says Professor Szabo
“Our message isn’t to exercise less—it’s to exercise smarter by building in rest and recovery days, focusing on overall wellbeing 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,” says Professor Demetrovics
The paper, ‘Exercise addiction: A review and evaluation of current research and theory’, by Bhavya Chhabra (ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary), Zsolt Demetrovics, Mark D. Griffiths (Nottingham Trent University, UK) and Attila Szabo (Széchenyi István University and Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary) was published in Journal of Behavioral Addictions. DOI: 10.1556/2006.2025.00336
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