Anabolic Androgenic Steroids—Use and Correlates among Gym Users—An Assessment Study Using Questionnaires and Observations at Gyms in the Stockholm Region
2011

Anabolic Steroid Use Among Gym Users in Stockholm

Sample size: 1752 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Leifman Håkan, Rehnman Charlotta, Sjöblom Erika, Holgersson Stefan

Primary Institution: Karolinska Institutet

Hypothesis

What is the prevalence of anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use among gym users in Stockholm County?

Conclusion

The study found that approximately 4% of male gym users reported lifetime use of AAS, indicating a higher prevalence compared to the general population.

Supporting Evidence

  • 3.9% of men reported lifetime use of AAS.
  • 1.4% of men reported AAS use in the past 12 months.
  • 0.4% of men reported AAS use in the past 30 days.
  • The study included 1,752 gym users from 36 training facilities.

Takeaway

This study shows that many young men who go to the gym might be using steroids to get stronger, and gyms are a good place to help stop this.

Methodology

The study used questionnaires and covert observations at gyms to assess AAS use among gym users.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to self-reported data and the covert nature of observations.

Limitations

The study may have underreported AAS use due to social desirability bias and the non-random selection of gyms.

Participant Demographics

The mean age of participants was 33 years for men and 38 years for women, with a higher proportion of men than women.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.003

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3390/ijerph8072656

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