Preventing Eating Disorders in Athletes: What Coaches and Parents Should Know

The world of athletics encourages discipline, focus, and strength. These qualities often drive athletes to succeed, but they can also become the very things that put someone at risk. Eating disorders in athletes are a serious concern, and they don’t always look the way people expect. 

Understanding Disordered Eating Behaviors

Disordered eating exists on a spectrum, and it often hides behind behaviors that get praised in athletic environments.

These patterns might not meet the clinical criteria for an eating disorder, but they’re still harmful. They include things like obsessively tracking calories or macros, rigid food rules, skipping meals to “train fasted,” or feeling intense guilt after eating something deemed “unhealthy.” Over time, these patterns can take a serious toll on an athlete’s physical health, performance, and mental well-being.

Because so many of these behaviors are normalized—or even rewarded—in competitive sports, it’s easy to miss when things have gone too far. A high school swimmer who restricts carbs to stay “race ready,” or an elite female athlete who cuts out entire food groups for “clean eating,” might be struggling more than anyone realizes.

It’s also important to remember that disordered eating is often driven by emotional factors, not just a desire to change the body. Athletes may use food as a way to cope with stress, feel in control, manage anxiety, or seek approval. For some, it becomes a way to feel “good enough” in a high-pressure environment.

Here’s the bottom line: just because someone isn’t underweight or showing obvious signs of distress doesn’t mean they’re not struggling. Disordered eating is about behavior, not just appearance, and early intervention can make a huge difference.

When Healthy Habits Go Too Far

What starts as dedication to sport or performance can quickly spiral into patterns that set the stage to develop eating disorders. Skipping dessert, counting macros, or staying late at practice might seem like harmless “healthy habits.” But when body weight becomes a constant focus—whether through weigh-ins, body composition analysis, or pressure to maintain a ‘competition weight’—it can contribute to disordered eating patterns.

Athletes might say they’re “just trying to be healthier,” or that they’re “cutting weight for competition.” But those efforts can lead to underfueling, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and emotional burnout, which can all contribute to eating disorder risk. The line between discipline and danger isn’t always obvious, especially in aesthetic sports cultures that glorify thinness, low body fat, or being lean.

The Overlooked Link: Exercise Addiction and Athletes With Eating Disorders

A major factor that often shows up alongside eating disorder development is exercise addiction. Almost 50% of those with eating disorders also experience exercise addiction. This isn’t just loving a good workout. Tt’s when exercise becomes a compulsion, a way to manage anxiety or guilt, or a requirement to feel OK. Even elite athletes are not immune. In fact, the pressure to perform at all costs may increase the likelihood of developing disordered eating behaviors.

Signs of exercise addiction may include:

• Exercising through illness or injury.

• Prioritizing workouts over social events, school, work, or rest.

• Feeling panicked or irritable if they can’t train.

• Doubling up on workouts to “make up” for eating more than usual.

This compulsive behavior is physically draining, but it can also worsen or mask the psychological symptoms of eating disorders. To outsiders, it might look like commitment. But underneath, it can be a sign of deep emotional distress. 

Risk Factors and Warning Signs to Watch For

Recognizing the signs of eating disorders in athletes can make a significant difference in recovery and overall well-being. People tend to hide these disorders in plain sight, especially when they continue to perform at high levels. 

Keep an eye out for these red flags in both adolescent and adult athletes:

• Changes in eating habits: Skipping meals, eating alone, avoiding team dinners, or becoming overly rigid with food choices.

• Obsession with food and body: Constantly talking about calories, body mass index, weight, or “clean eating.”

• Weight fluctuations: Rapid weight loss or gain, or maintaining an unnaturally low weight.

• Mood and personality shifts: Irritability, withdrawal from friends, anxiety or perfectionism becoming more extreme.

• Frequent injuries: Stress fractures, prolonged recovery times, fatigue, and loss of menstrual cycle in female athletes (which could point to a condition called the female athlete triad).

• Performance changes: Decrease in strength, stamina or coordination due to underfueling. 

Certain athletes are more vulnerable than others. Female athletes are about twice as likely to develop an eating disorder as men and are more likely to experience relative energy deficiency when they don't consume enough calories to provide the energy they need for exercise. However, male athletes are far from immune and may be less likely to receive a diagnosis due to stigma or misbeliefs that eating disorders only affect women.

Younger athletes, perfectionists, and those with anxiety, low self-esteem or a history of trauma may also be more at risk. It’s crucial to look beyond performance and consider what an athlete may struggle with silently. 

Not all disordered eating looks like restriction. Binge eating disorder is another serious concern that can affect athletes who oscillate between periods of intense restriction and episodes of uncontrollable eating.

What Coaches and Parents Can Do

Preventing eating disorders starts with building a healthy culture — one that values overall wellness as much as performance. Here’s how you can help prevent eating disorder behaviors among endurance sports athletes.

1. Shift the Conversation From Weight to Performance 

Avoid comments about body size, weight loss, portions, or appearance. Instead, focus on strength, technique, agility, and mental resilience. Teach athletes that nutrition is about fueling their bodies, not about achieving a specific body type.

2. Reinforce That Rest is Essential

Normalize rest and recovery as nonnegotiable parts of training. Make sure athletes know that recovery won’t make them fall behind. Rest is how they get stronger. If athletes feel guilty about taking a rest day, dig deeper to understand where that guilt comes from.

3. Model a Healthy Relationship With Food and Body

Adults can influence those around them. Be mindful of your language. Avoid joking about “burning off” food, moralizing food choices, or glorifying extreme training methods. Show that health includes flexibility and balance. 

4. Educate Your Team About Disordered Eating

Bring in sports dieticians or mental health professionals to talk about the risks of disordered eating in athletes. Education can break down stigma and give athletes the language to talk about their struggles. 

5. Keep Open Lines of Communication

Create a space where athletes feel safe to talk without fear of being judged or punished. If someone seems stressed about their body, performance, or eating, let them know it’s OK to talk about it and that help is available.

6. Encourage Professional Support Early

If you suspect something is wrong, don’t wait. Encourage the athlete to reach out to a licensed therapist, sports psychologist, or registered dietitian specializing in eating disorders in athletes. Connecting with professionals in sports medicine, including athletic trainers and sports dietitians, can be a key part of early intervention and support.

7. Untangling Identity From Performance

For many athletes, sport isn’t just something they do — it’s who they are. Being the fast one, the fit one, or the strong one can quickly become a part of their identity. While pride in one’s achievements is healthy, tying self-worth too tightly to performance or appearance can be dangerous, especially during setbacks, injuries, or changes in body shape.

This mindset can quietly fuel disordered eating, particularly when they believe their value depends on staying a certain weight, looking a certain way, or outperforming their peers. The pressure to live up to that identity can become overwhelming, and when athletes feel like they’re falling short, it may lead to restriction, binging, or compulsive exercise as a way to regain control.

This risk is especially high during transitions or major life changes, such as moving from high school to college sports, taking a break due to injury, or retiring from competition altogether. When sport is their main identity, athletes may struggle to figure out who they are without it. 

As a coach, parent, or teammate, you can help by praising qualities beyond physical achievements, like perseverance, leadership, resilience, or kindness. Emphasize that athletic ability is just one part of who they are, not the whole picture. Normalize having bad days and teach them that their body will change over time.

Helping athletes build a fuller sense of identity—one that includes interests, values, and relationships beyond sport—can be a powerful buffer against disordered eating and body image issues. When young people know they’re more than what they do on the field, they’re better equipped to care for themselves inside and outside their sport.

Team Culture Matters More Than You Think

Team dynamics can influence how athletes feel about themselves and their bodies. Encourage body diversity and challenge harmful norms when you hear them. Things like weigh-ins in front of others, body shaming, or comparing athletes’ bodies (even casually) can create a toxic culture that fuels disordered behaviors. When athletes feel like you value them for who they are, not how they look, they're more likely to stay mentally and physically healthy. 

The Power of Community Support for Helping Athletes With Eating Disorders

Finding a supportive community can be a lifeline for someone struggling with body image or disordered eating. Being part of a group that values mental health, encourages honest conversation, and promotes overall well-being can be a powerful antidote to isolation and shame.

Organizations like Still I Run exist to do just that. Our running community promotes mental health awareness through movement and brings together individuals from all backgrounds and experiences to support and inspire one another. Groups like this can remind athletes that they’re not alone and that mental wellness is a strength, not a weakness. 

Support networks give athletes a space to heal, speak freely and reconnect with the joy of sport. Whether it’s a peer group or a running club, having a safe place to land can make a huge difference in recovery and resilience. 

The Long-Term Impact 

If left untreated, eating disorders can cause lasting damage to the body and mind. Physically, athletes may experience:

• Loss of bone density that increases the risk of osteoporosis and fractures

• Irregular or absent menstrual cycles in women, which can affect fertility

• Stunted growth and development in younger athletes

• Heart irregularities, including dangerously low heart rate and blood pressure

• Gastrointestinal issues, such as chronic bloating, constipation, and acid reflux

• Muscle loss, fatigue, and a decline in performance due to inadequate nutrition 

Emotionally and mentally, the effects can be equally devastating:

• Increased risk of depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors

• Social withdrawal and isolation, especially if food or body image becomes a source of shame

• Difficulty trusting oneself and one’s body even after recovery

• Impaired concentration and memory, which can impact academic and work performance 

• Disrupted relationships with coaches, teammates, friends, and family

Fortunately, with early intervention, professional help and a strong support system, full recovery is possible. Many athletes can return to their sport and come back with a healthier mindset and a deeper appreciation for their bodies and boundaries. 

Creating a Safer Space for Athletes to Thrive

Eating disorders in athletes are preventable when you build environments that prioritize health, not just performance. When you set the tone for positive language, balanced expectations, and early interventions, athletes are far more likely to stay physically and mentally strong.

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Beth Rush is the fitness editor at Body+Mind. She writes about how women with PCOS can hack their exercise routines to balance their hormones naturally. She covers topics like plant-based recipes for athletes and preaching the benefits of green exercise. You can find Beth on X @bodymindmag.