Primary and secondary exercise dependence in a community-based sample of road race runners

J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2013 Oct;35(5):464-9. doi: 10.1123/jsep.35.5.464.

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to examine exercise dependence (EXD) in a large community-based sample of runners. The secondary purpose of this study was to examine differences in EXD symptoms between primary and secondary EXD. Our sample included 2660 runners recruited from a local road race (M age = 38.78 years, SD = 10.80; 66.39% women; 91.62% Caucasian) who completed all study measures online within 3 weeks of the race. In this study, EXD prevalence was lower than most previously reported rates (gamma = .248, p < .001) and individuals in the at-risk for EXD category participated in longer distance races, F(8,1) = 14.13, p = .01, partial eta squared = .05. Group differences were found for gender, F(1,1921) 8.08, p = .01, partial eta squared = .004, and primary or secondary group status, F(1,1921) 159.53, p = .01, partial eta squared = .077. Implications of primary and secondary EXD differences and future research are discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Athletes / psychology*
  • Athletes / statistics & numerical data
  • Exercise / physiology
  • Exercise / psychology
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / epidemiology
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • North Dakota / epidemiology
  • Obsessive Behavior / epidemiology*
  • Obsessive Behavior / psychology*
  • Physical Endurance / physiology*
  • Running / psychology*
  • Running / statistics & numerical data
  • Sex Distribution