Disordered Eating in High Performance Sport Toolkit

Organisation / Service

NEDC and AIS

The Australian Institute of Sport and the National Eating Disorders Collaboration have collaborated to provide this position statement, containing guidelines for athletes, coaches, support staff, clinicians and sporting organisations. The guidelines support the prevention and early identification of disordered eating, and promote timely intervention to optimise nutrition
for performance in a safe, supported, purposeful and individualised manner. This position statement is a call to action to all involved in sport to be aware of poor self-image and poor body image among athletes.

The practical recommendations should guide the clinical management of disordered eating in high performance sport.

National Strategy Standards and Actions

Prevention

Standard 4: Home and family, school, work, health, online, and sports, fitness and performance environments bolster protective factors and reduce risk factors.

Action 4.6: Sports, fitness and performance organisations at all levels to embed a focus on eating disorder prevention within club/organisation culture, including through culture change programs and efforts to ensure inclusion of diverse bodies.

Identification

Standard 2: Professionals at key entry or referral points (e.g., GPs, emergency department staff, school counsellors, mental health professionals, dietitians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners, Alcohol and Other Drug workers, staff in sporting/performance organisations) can recognise eating disorder warning signs and symptoms and provide or support access to an initial response.

Standard 2.1: Health and mental health services to ensure staff are trained to identify eating disorders and have access to up-to-date local/regional and online treatment and support options.