Evaluation of tendency for food addiction of adolescent athletes

This study has been conducted so as to evaluate the tendency for food addiction of adolescent athletes. Accordingly, 224 adolescent athletes and 100 adolescents sedentary, whose ages changing between 12 and 14, have been included within the context of this work. All data have been created via questionnaire form and Yale Food Addiction Scale. Frequency table and descriptive statistics have been utilized during data evaluation. Pearson-χ 2 and tables of Ki square analysis were used so as to examine the relationship between two qualitative variables and where p <0,05, it has been approved as meaningful statistically. As a result of the data analysis, it has been determined that male individual made up 57,4 % of athletes and 46% of sedentary. Also, it has been observed that 36,6% of athletes and 35% of sedentary received dietetics. On the other hand, it has been realized that mother of 38,4% of athletes and mother of 79% of sedentary have university degree (p< 0,05). Furthermore, it has been found out that 70,1% of athletes eat three main meals (in the morning, afternoon, evening), 55% of athletes skip snack, while 72% of sedentary eat three main meals (in morning, afternoon, evening), 57% of sedentary skip snack. According to the results of food addiction data, it has been identified that 11,6% of athletes (n:26) and 16% of sedentary (n:16) possess food addiction. In addition, it has been revealed that majority of the athletes don't eat in the long term (86%) and have desire to eat continuously besides unsuccessful attempt to quit eating (79,5%). On the other hand, it has been reported that sedentary possess no significant clinical disorder, caused by eating (84%), and determined that they haven't quit or decreased important social and educational events (82%). As a consequence, it has been realized that potential for food addiction for male athletes is higher than the food addiction for female athletes. In addition, it can be said that children from families with sufficient financial situation and athletes and sedentary with normal weight have more food addiction than slightly fat individual.