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

• DOI: 10.1007/s11469-022-00815-z
• Publication Date: 2022-04-20T17:03:16Z
• Authors: Franca Ceci; Francesco Di Carlo; Julius Burkauskas; Anatolia Salone; Ilaria De Luca; Dorotea Cicconcelli; Valentina Giorgetti; Irene La Fratta; Antonino Todaro; Pierluigi Simonato; Giovanni Martinotti; Massimo di Gianna...; Ornella Corazza
• Keywords: Health psychology; Pandemic; Physical exercise

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