Prevalence of individuals with symptoms of dependence on exercises on the gym environment

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of factors that indicate people with symptoms of dependence in the exercise on the gym environment. The study was conducted in six gyms of Marechal Cândido Rondon, in the West of Paraná, totaling a sample of 195 subjects, 114 women and 81 men, aged between 13 and 60 years who practiced any kind of physical activity in the gym environment. The group was applied to Exercise Dependence Questionnaire for involving eight factors that may point to the symptoms of exercise dependence, the dependence can be diagnosed for one or more factors. The factors are: (1) interference in social life, family and work, (2) Reward positive, (3) symptoms of abstinence for the exercise, (4) Exercise for weight control (5) insight into the problem, (6 ) Exercise for social reasons, (7) Exercise for health reasons, (8) stereotyped behavior. With regard to the factors cited above female was predominant in the three factors that showed the highest prevalence of symptoms of exercise dependence: reasons of health 59% (100), reward positive 59% (98) and stereotyped behavior 58% (63). These results raise the possibility that women, for sample, seem to be more susceptible to developing addiction to exercise. Mindful of these values is worth emphasizing the importance of physical education professionals, qualified in fitness centers, with sufficient knowledge and capacity to intervene in a healthy and conscious.