Many youth athletes quietly struggle with eating disorders – Colorado mandates new training that could turn things around

A new Colorado law mandates that middle, junior high, and high school coaches in both public and private schools attend training on mental health issues among young athletes. The legislation, known as Alyssa’s Youth Concussion and Mental Health Protection Act, is named after a 13-year-old athlete who died by suicide due to mental health struggles, likely related to multiple concussions. The training covers topics such as anxiety disorders, depression, and suicide prevention.

This new requirement could potentially address eating disorders, a mental health issue often overlooked in youth athletes. Currently, the training does not specifically address eating disorders, but including them would significantly enhance coaches' abilities to identify and support at-risk athletes. Eating disorders among athletes are a growing concern, with Colorado alone experiencing an estimated 501,370 cases, or about 9% of the state's population, annually.

These disorders can lead to severe consequences, including emergency room visits and hospitalizations, as well as high annual healthcare costs for the state.

Research has identified athlete-specific risk factors for eating disorders, such as weight cycling, dieting pressure, and coaches' praise for weight loss. Additionally, an athlete's performance level and the type of sport they participate in can impact their risk. Team sports that don't emphasize weight, like soccer, basketball, and hockey, tend to protect against eating disorder risk, while individual sports with a greater emphasis on physique, such as gymnastics, wrestling, and distance running, show higher risks of eating disorders.

The new training could help coaches better recognize and address the complex needs of athletes struggling with eating disorders, potentially improving their overall performance, mental health, and well-being.