Adequate nutrition and energy intake is important to the physical and emotional well-being, as well as the sports performance, of college athletes. Athletes don't need to be diagnosed with an eating disorder to experience adverse physical, emotional and athletic consequences. If the amount of energy a student-athlete takes in is insufficient relative to the amount of energy that student-athlete expends, it can negatively impact health and performance.

Some individuals become so preoccupied with food and weight issues that they find it difficult to focus on other aspects of their life. It is important for student-athletes to seek balance in their relationship with food, as this impacts all aspects of physical and mental health.

Signs and symptoms of disordered eating:

• Obsession with food and exercise.
• Denying self of food to the point of starvation.
• Binge eating and purging behaviors.
• Compulsive exercise beyond what is good for sport performance and health.
• Social withdrawal.
• Fear of eating in public.

What student-athletes can do:

• Accept yourself. It is important to understand that the ‘ideal’ body weight of each individual differs because of variations in genetic traits and cultural norms.
• Find support with others recovering from an eating disorder.

What athletics department staff can do:

• Recognize the signs and symptoms of eating disorders.
• Partner with campus health care providers such as sports dieticians, eating disorder specialists and licensed mental health providers to support healthy eating and the prevention and treatment of eating disorders.

What everyone can do:

• Learn more about eating disorders at the National Eating Disorder Association, nationaleatingdisorders.org, and at the National Association for Males with Eating Disorders, namedinc.org.