Aging and Exercise: Addiction Risks Unveiled

This study aims to investigate exercise addiction among middle-aged and older adults and examine the psychological, social, and biological factors influencing this addiction. Among the participants, 41 middle aged and 26 older adults were identified as exercise addicts. Exercise addiction levels were assessed using the Exercise Addiction Inventory. Health-promoting behaviors were evaluated with the Health-Promoting Behavior Scale, health anxiety with the Health Anxiety Inventory, and death anxiety with the Death Anxiety Scale. Scores on the Exercise Addiction Inventory, Health-Promoting Behavior Scale, Health Anxiety Inventory, and Death Anxiety Scale were significantly higher in the older group compared to the middle aged group (p = .001, p = .041, p = .002, and p = .047, respectively). In the middle-aged group, no signifi cant associations were found between exercise addiction and health-promoting behaviors, health anxiety, or death anxiety (p > .05). In the older group, however, moderate and significant correlations were observed between exercise addiction and health-promoting behaviors (r = 0.454, p = .020) as well as death anxiety (r = 0.425, p = .030). A strong and significant relationship was also identified between exercise addiction and health anxiety in the older group (r = 0.717, p < .001). The findings suggest that exercise addiction in older adults is associated with psychological and behavioral factors, including health anxiety, health-promoting behaviors, and death anxiety.

Cite this article as: Surenkok, O., Kendal, K., Aydin, G., & Atici, E. (2025). Aging and exercise: addiction risks unveiled. Addicta: The Turkish Journal on Addictions, Published online November 7, 2025. doi:10.5152/ADDICTA.2025.24287.