It can come as a surprise to many casual observers that a dedicated athlete can also develop an eating disorder. As the news program shown in this video illustrates, athlete eating disorder cases do exist. Because athletes focus on performance, they can also become obsessive about eating and working out.
Parents of student-athletes are advised to stay on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of eating disorders. Unfortunately, many of these signs are often confused as a normal part of training. Parents of athletes will want to stay aware of their emotional health as well as their physical training.
Athletes can slip into eating disorders because they often practice calorie restriction and consider their bodies machines. Without proper physical and emotional balance, it’s easy to slip into disordered eating.
Anyone who has a serious athlete in their life should pay attention to their instincts if they feel that something is wrong. Often, friends and family members who have concerns about the well-being of an athlete in their lives, talk themselves out of their concerns. Usually, it’s better to speak up, even if it turns out there’s no reason for concern than to allow a problem to get worse.
Eating disorders can wreak havoc on a young person’s life, and affect their friends and family too. Speaking up is important!
