Sport Supplement Use in 14-18-Year-Old Adolescents: A Single-Group Pre-Post Social Media Educational Intervention...

Area of Science:

• Sports Nutrition
• Adolescent Health
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Rising global use of sports supplements among adolescents.
• Influence of fitness trends and social media on supplement uptake.
• Prevalence of knowledge gaps regarding safe supplement practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess supplement usage patterns, knowledge, and attitudes in Serbian adolescents.
• Identify information sources for sports supplement use.
• Evaluate the impact of a social media educational intervention.

Main Methods:

• Pre-post intervention study design with secondary school students (14-18 years) in Vojvodina, Serbia.
• Anonymous questionnaire assessing sociodemographics, habits, and supplement knowledge.
• Social media educational campaign (Instagram/TikTok videos) followed by a post-intervention survey.

Main Results:

• 65% of adolescents were physically active, primarily in gym workouts and team sports.
• Most participants initiated supplement use independently, without consulting professionals.
• Vitamins, minerals, and energy drinks were commonly used; social media intervention had limited impact due to short duration.

Conclusions:

• Serbian adolescents exhibit high rates of sports supplement use without adequate professional guidance.
• Short-term social media interventions have limited effectiveness.
• Long-term social media campaigns may be beneficial for improving knowledge and influencing behavior related to sports supplement use.