Tag: Compulsive exercise

Research indicates that up to 10% of gym attendees may be at risk of exercise addiction, a figure that highlights the complex psychology at play in what's in a gym junkie. The term often describes highly dedicated fitness enthusiasts, but it can mask a psychological reality that differentiates healthy motivation from potentially harmful obsession.

In animal studies dating back to 1967, rats with restricted feeding schedules but unlimited access to a running wheel paradoxically increased their physical activity while decreasing their food intake, leading to fatal weight loss. This biobehavioral phenomenon is known as activity anorexia and provides a crucial model for understanding aspects of human eating disorders.

Compulsive exercise affects up to 80% of people with anorexia nervosa, and while not an official diagnosis, is often associated with the unofficial term anorexia athletica. This raises a key question for athletes and fitness enthusiasts: **is anorexia athletica a disorder characterized by a compulsion to exercise**?