Eating Disorders in Sport and Fitness: Prevention, Early Identification and Response
About this resource
Sports associations play a large and ongoing role in the influence of people engaging in competitive physical activity and are therefore instrumental in delivering positive messaging about body image and healthy eating and exercise behaviours within a high risk community. Coaches and other sports professionals are amongst the most important and influential role models in the lives of the athletes they interact with, and as such, these people are in a strong position to assist in the prevention, early identification, intervention and management of eating disorders. This resource is written for sports professionals to assist them in understanding eating disorders, promoting health and wellbeing within their organisations, recognising and responding to eating disorders, and supporting athletes who are undergoing treatment for an eating disorder. The resource recognises the physical and mental health benefits of sport while promoting awareness of the risk factors that may be seen in sporting environments.