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
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