Research Article

Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students' Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements

Volume: 7 Number: 2 July 21, 2026
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Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students' Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements

Abstract

Aim: Exercise addiction is prevalent among sports science students and may increase orthorexic tendencies and dietary supplement use. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and relationships of these behaviors. Materials and Methods: Conducted between July 2023 and July 2024 using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 256 students via an online questionnaire. In addition to general information and dietary habits, the questionnaire included the Exercise Addiction Scale (EAS), the Teruel Orthorexia Nervosa Scale (TOS), and the Sports Supplements Belief Scale (SSBS). Results: Almost all participants (99,6%) were classified in the exercise addiction risk group. The mean EAS score was 56.7±8.2, the healthy orthorexia score was 13.8±5.6 (moderate), and the orthorexia nervosa score was 6.7±4.9 (low). A total of 69.5% of participants reported using dietary supplements. A mean SSBS score of 22.2±8.0, indicating a moderate level of belief in sports supplements. EAS scores showed weak but statistically significant positive correlations with healthy orthorexia (HO) (r=0.433) and orthorexia nervosa (ON) (r=0.451) (p<0.001). A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that HO (β=0.22, p=0.003) and ON (β=0.32, p<0.001) significantly predicted EAS scores, even after controlling for supplement beliefs and sociodemographic factors. The model explained 25.3% of the variance in exercise addiction scores. Conclusion: These results suggest that exercise addiction is associated with both interest in healthy eating and orthorexic tendencies. While SSBS and demographic factors did not significantly predict EAS, the high prevalence of supplement use and the moderate belief level suggest a continuing need for structured education on safe supplement practices. In this regard, it is recommended that topics such as healthy eating behaviours, the relationship between diet and exercise, and safe supplement use be included in the curricula of nutrition courses taught in sports science programmes.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Sport and Exercise Nutrition

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

July 21, 2026

Submission Date

August 21, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 3, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 7 Number: 2

APA
Karlı, K., & Yıldız, A. K. (2026). Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students’ Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements. Current Perspectives on Health Sciences, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.58208/cphs.1769949
AMA
1.Karlı K, Yıldız AK. Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students’ Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements. CPHS. 2026;7(2). doi:10.58208/cphs.1769949
Chicago
Karlı, Kevser, and Ahmet Kaan Yıldız. 2026. “Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students’ Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements”. Current Perspectives on Health Sciences 7 (2). https://doi.org/10.58208/cphs.1769949.
EndNote
Karlı K, Yıldız AK (July 1, 2026) Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students’ Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements. Current Perspectives on Health Sciences 7 2
IEEE
[1]K. Karlı and A. K. Yıldız, “Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students’ Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements”, CPHS, vol. 7, no. 2, July 2026, doi: 10.58208/cphs.1769949.
ISNAD
Karlı, Kevser - Yıldız, Ahmet Kaan. “Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students’ Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements”. Current Perspectives on Health Sciences 7/2 (July 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.58208/cphs.1769949.
JAMA
1.Karlı K, Yıldız AK. Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students’ Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements. CPHS. 2026;7. doi:10.58208/cphs.1769949.
MLA
Karlı, Kevser, and Ahmet Kaan Yıldız. “Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students’ Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements”. Current Perspectives on Health Sciences, vol. 7, no. 2, July 2026, doi:10.58208/cphs.1769949.
Vancouver
1.Kevser Karlı, Ahmet Kaan Yıldız. Evaluation of The Faculty of Sports Sciences Students’ Exercise Addiction, Orthorexia Nervosa Tendency, and Beliefs in Nutritional Supplements. CPHS. 2026 Jul. 1;7(2). doi:10.58208/cphs.1769949