Debido a la creciente popularidad del triatlón a nivel amateur el objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el potencial adictivo de este deporte, así como analizar si determinadas variables de entrenamiento podrían ser consideradas factores de riesgo. Atendiendo a la escala de dependencia al ejercicio revisada (Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised, EDS-R), 93 triatletas varones amateur (34.5 ± 9.4 años) fueron divididos en no dependientes asintomáticos (NDA, 31.2%), no dependientes sintomáticos (NDS, 60.2%) o en riesgo de dependencia (ERD, 8.6%). Se halló una correlación moderada entre el volumen de entrenamiento y la puntuación en la escala EDS-R, entrenando los sujetos ERD más horas y sesiones a la semana que los sujetos NDA. El porcentaje de sujetos clasificados como ERD era mayor según aumentaba la distancia de competición (0.0, 7.1 y 30.0 % de los triatletas de corta, media y larga distancia, respectivamente), siendo la puntuación en la EDS-R de los triatletas de larga distancia significativamente mayor que la de los de media y corta distancia. Estos resultados muestran el potencial adictivo del triatlón, en concreto en larga distancia, y resaltan la importancia del adecuado control psicológico en esta población.

Abstract

Due to the growing popularity of triathlon at an amateur level the aim of this study was to evaluate the addictive potential of this sport as well as to analyze if particular training variables could be considered as risk factors. Attending to the Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (EDS-R), 93 male amateur triathletes (34.5 ± 9.4 years old) were classified as Non-Dependent Asymptomatic (NDA, 31.2%), Non-Dependent Symptomatic (NDS, 60.2%) or At-Risk of Dependence (ARD, 8.6%). A moderate correlation between training volume and the EDS-R score was found, training ARD more hours and sessions per week than NDA. A greater percentage of subjects classified as ARD was found as race distance increased (0.0, 7.1 and 30.0 % for short, half and long distance, respectively), being the EDS-R score of long distance triathletes higher than those of half and short distance. These results show the addictive potential of triathlon, specifically in long distance, and highlight the importance of an optimal psychological assessment in this population.

https//doi.org/10.5232/ricyde2017.04806

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