Physical Activity and Exercise Addiction During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Italy

Abstract

Severe restrictive measures were implemented globally to limit the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic leading to significant lifestyle changes and impacting on both the physical and the mental health of citizens. Caught by the fear of getting sick, some individuals have adopted behaviors which favored the development of exercise addiction (EA). Our aim was to evaluate physical activity habits and the risk of EA in the general Italian population during phase 1 of the lockdown. The role of appearance anxiety (AA), self-compassion, and use of performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs) as predictors of EA development were investigated. A comparison between physically active subjects with the inactive ones was also included. Between April and May 2020, an online survey was conducted across Italy. Nine hundred thirty-six answers were collected. The rate of EA in the physically active sample (782 subjects) was 4.1%. The physically active group showed higher SCS scores and a greater use of PIEDs. Of the physically active participants, 84.2% reported variations in their fitness routine. Perceived benefit of exercising resulted significantly higher in those with EA. Subjects with EA reported stronger motivation in engaging in physical activity as for “physical wellness,” “psychological well-being,” and “sexual attractiveness and confidence in relationship.” A higher level of AA, a lower level of self-compassion, and a higher perceived benefit of exercising during lockdown were all significant predictors for the presence of EA. Our findings suggest that the fear of getting sick from Covid-19, combined with radical changes in the lifestyles induced by the lockdown and individual personological characteristics, can favor the development of EA and related phenomena in the general population.

Psychological and Biological Aspects of “Without-Body Bereavement”: Reflections at COVID-19 Pandemic Time

“…Furthermore, the study suggests that it underlines the link between craving and quality of life, defined as the perception that the individual has regarding the effects that an illness, and its treatment, have on his physical, emotional, and social well-being. The authors indicate, in conclusion, the need to improve the quality of life, for example, through physical exercise can play an important role in reducing craving and, therefore, abusive behaviors, relapses, and abandonment of treatment [48].…”

The Thin Ideal and Attitudes towards Appearance as Correlates of Exercise Addiction among Sporty People during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Furthermore, De la Vega and colleagues [ 15 ], in a sample of adults from different countries (Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Spain, and Uruguay), found that, during the pandemic, 15.2% of the subjects were at risk of addiction and 79.6% were symptomatic of EA. In a study conducted on a sample of Italian sporty adults during the first phase of the pandemic (April–May 2020), Ceci and colleagues [ 46 ] found that the rate of EA was 4.1%. To our knowledge, no previous data about the prevalence of EA during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic among Italian sporty people has been published yet.…”

The Association of Self-Compassion with Depressive Temperament and Reading Habit

“…Therefore, mediating habits may increase self-compassion. In addition, Ceci et al [8] conducted a survey on physical activity and exercise addiction across Italy from April to May 2020, when the strict lockdown was performed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One instrument used was the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), which assesses how participants usually think and/or behave to themselves through hardships.…”

“…One instrument used was the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), which assesses how participants usually think and/or behave to themselves through hardships. Ceci et al [8] investigated 953 participants and found that the physically active group had higher SCS scores, whereas lower SCS scores predicted exercise addiction. These findings indicate that self-compassion may be associated with appropriate physical exercise habits.…”