Social media as a predictor of orthorexia nervosa in NCAA female student-athletes

Abstract

Abstract Collegiate female student-athletes face heightened body image pressures and psychological characteristics that are often normalized within competitive sport culture. These factors, coupled with performance-driven expectations to maintain strict eating practices, may increase vulnerability to maladaptive eating behaviors and elevate risk for orthorexia nervosa (ON), characterized by a rigid fixation on food quality. Social media exposure may further amplify idealized body standards and reinforce these vulnerabilities, making ON a particular concern for this population. This study examined whether overall SM use, specific platform use, and exposure to health-related content were associated with ON risk among collegiate female student‑athletes. An online survey was distributed to Division I NCAA coaches across the United States for dissemination among their athletes. Participants (n=102) were at least 18 years old and currently listed on team rosters. The survey collected demographic information (age, race/ethnicity, academic years, NCAA sport(s), number of competitive sports played in high school, and dieting/disordered eating/eating disorder (ED) history), ON risk utilizing the ORTO-15 questionnaire, weekly time spent on SM based on phone screen time, platform-specific usage, and estimated weekly exposure to fitness, health, nutrition, and appearance-comparison content. The mean ORTO15 score was 35, consistent with greater orthorexic tendencies based on previously established scoring thresholds of 35 and 40, and participants reported an average of 866 minutes of weekly SM use. Analyses revealed significant positive associations between ON risk and academic year (p< 0.01), as well as age (p< 0.05), although through opposite associations. Neither overall weekly SM time nor weekly TikTok-specific time predicted ON risk. These findings suggest that academic and athletic influence may increase ON risk while developmental maturation may be protective. These can help inform the approaches to prevention and early-intervention strategies by athletic support staff.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. JMU Scholoraly Commons (James Madison University), 2026 · DOI ↗