What Coaches Say Impacts Athletes’ Relationship with Food and Body
Published February 11, 2021
Coaches are extremely influential in their athletes’ lives. Research shows that coaches can impact athletes’ performance, their self-confidence, their motivation, how they understand support, and how they view themselves.
Coaches are extremely influential in their athletes’ lives. Research shows that coaches can impact athletes’ performance, their self-confidence, their motivation, how they understand support, and how they view themselves. Coaches can promote and encourage healthy and appropriate relationships with food, body, and physical activity by:
- Refraining from commenting on an athlete’s appearance and weight
- Replacing negative weight/body talk with praise about effort of skill
- Talking about food as fuel that provides energy to play well
- Being a role model for athletes by showcasing healthy, balanced eating behaviors & positive body image.
“Coaches have the power to help prevent disordered eating & combat the body image ideal upheld within the sport culture.” Arthur-Cameselle & Baltzell, 2012
Research also shows that coaches can negatively influence athletes’ body images and eating behaviors.
- Coach communication involving body comparisons, critical comments, and unspecific, harmful expectations can increase the likelihood that an athlete develops an eating disorder
- “Performance-related & body weight preoccupied coaching styles increase dieting, body image anxiety, and fear of fatness in athletes.”
- Coaches can perpetuate harmful body image ideals
Learn more about suggested phrases coaches can say to help young athletes establish healthy relationships with food &body.
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