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NEDA TOOLKIT for Coaches and Trainers A group of athletes is dieting together. What should we (coaches/trainers) do? Seeing an athlete develop an eating issue or disorder can sometimes lead other athletes to feel confused, afraid, or full of self-doubt. They may begin to question their own values about thinness, healthy eating, weight loss, dieting and body image. At times athletes may imitate the behavior of their teammates. Imitating the behavior may be one way of dealing with fear, trying to relate to the teammate with the eating disorder, or trying to understand the illness. In other cases, a group of athletes dieting together can create competition around weight loss and unhealthy habits. If dieting is part of the accepted norm of the team, it can be difficult for any athlete seeking peer acceptance to resist joining the behavior. Approaching an athlete who is imitating the behavior of a teammate with an eating disorder should be similar to approaching an athlete with a suspected eating problem. I’m noticing some changes in weight, eating habits, exercise, etc., with an athlete, but I’m not sure if it’s an eating disorder. How can I tell? Unless you are a qualified professional, you can’t make a diagnosis, but you can refer the athlete to appropriate resources that might help. Keep in mind, however, that denial is typically a big part of eating disorder behavior and an athlete may be unreceptive to the suggestion that anything is wrong. Often it takes several conversations before the athlete is ready to listen to your concerns. What should be done when rumors are circulating about a student with an eating disorder? If a student has an eating disorder and other students are talking about it to the point where the student with the eating disorder is uncomfortable coming to school, a strategy should be implemented to deal with the gossip. When a student is suspected of having or is diagnosed with an eating disorder, fellow students may have different reactions. Rumors often develop that further isolate the student experiencing the eating disorder. Rumors can also be a form of bullying. Here are some suggested strategies: • Assess the role of the rumors. Sometimes rumors indicate students’ feelings of discomfort or fear. • • Demystify the illness. Eating disorders can sometimes become glamorized or mysterious. Provide accurate, age-appropriate information that focuses on several aspects of the illness such as the causes as well as the social and psychological consequences (not only the extreme physical consequences). Work privately with students who are instigating and/or perpetuating rumors: talk about confidentiality and its value. For example, promote the idea that medical information is private and therefore no one’s business. Without identifying the students as instigators of the rumors, encourage them to develop strategies for dealing with the rumors by establishing a sense of shared concern and responsibility. For example, “Can you help me work out a way of stopping rumors about (student’s name), as he/she is finding them very upsetting?” What’s the difference between overeating and binge eating? Most people overeat now and then, but binge eating is distinguished by eating an amount of food within a specified time that is larger than the amount that most people would consume during a similar time and circumstance, and feeling out of control during the binge. A binge is also generally followed by extreme emotional distress, including guilt and shame. Are the issues different for males with an eating disorder? What do I say? Some aspects may be different in males. Important issues to consider when talking to or supporting a male who may have an eating disorder include the following: • Stigma. Eating disorders are promoted predominantly as a female concern. Males may feel a greater sense of shame or embarrassment. • It may be even more important not to mention the term “eating disorder” in the discussion, but rather focus on the specific behaviors you have noticed that are concerning. • Keep the conversation brief and tell him what you’ve directly observed and why it worries you. Page  | 9