Does the German version of the Exercise Dependence Scale measure exercise dependence?

•The EDS-G is an acceptable method of assessing excessive exercising.•The agreement between EDS-G-based and interview-based diagnoses was fair to moderate.•The EDS-G might overestimate the prevalence of exercise dependence.

ObjectiveTo examine the concordance of a questionnaire-based categorization as ‘at-risk for exercise dependence’ and an interview-based diagnosis of exercise dependence.DesignOne hundred thirty four subjects answered the German version of the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-G). They were also assessed with a structured clinical interview for exercise dependence.MethodThe congruence between the questionnaire-based categorizations of ‘at-risk for exercise dependence’ and the diagnosis of exercise dependence based on the interview was examined using κ-coefficients.ResultThe agreement between questionnaire-based and interview-based diagnoses was fair to moderate with more false positive categorization based on the EDS-G.ConclusionAssuming that a structured clinical interview allows a more accurate diagnostic categorization, the EDS-G might overestimate the prevalence of exercise dependence.