Introduction to the course
Participating in sport confers a number of individual and societal benefits, including improved physical and psychological wellbeing, and enhanced academic and occupational achievements. However, success in competitive sport can take many years of dedication. Elite and aspiring athletes are characterised by their perfectionistic personalities and single-mindedness towards achieving their goals. Athletes also need to be both physically and psychologically resilient to cope with the stress and pressures of competitive sport. For some, the stress of competitive sport can elicit mental health difficulties.
A close attention to diet and weight is also critical for success in many sports, but for some athletes this can develop into an unhealthy relationship with food that is damaging to both their health and performance. Differentiating between what is ‘normal’ for an athlete in the context of their sport and performance goals, and identifying those with potentially disordered eating habits and thoughts is challenging.
Coaches and sports professionals have an important role in the development of aspiring sportsmen and women, and are ideally positioned to detect the early warning signs of potential eating problems. In addition, sports professionals can help to provide a supportive and positive context for athletes to recover. This course has been designed to equip coaches and sports professionals with the knowledge and skills to identify eating problems in athletes, and to provide guidance around approaching, supporting and facilitating access to treatment for athletes struggling with eating issues.
Please now complete the pre-course questions, and then have a go at the 'true or false' quiz below before you move onto Module 1. These activities do not contribute towards your overall grade, but encourage you to reflect upon what you currently know about disordered eating.
Learning outcomes
There are five key learning outcomes for this course. This course aims to:
Develop the learner’s confidence and self-efficacy in the identification of athletes with potential eating problems
Increase the learner’s awareness of eating problems and how they can impact on the athlete’s health and performance
Develop the learner’s knowledge of the role of the coach in supporting athletes with eating problems
Ensure the learners can identify and signpost athletes to relevant sources of support, and are aware of return to play guidelines for athletes with eating problems.
Enable learners to implement a range of strategies that promote a positive training environment.
