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

Colorado's Alyssa's Youth Concussion and Mental Health Protection Act requires middle and high school coaches to be trained on anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, and suicide prevention, but does not explicitly mandate eating disorder education. A 2023 study cited found 77.7% of youth athletes were at risk of developing an eating disorder, with no difference by sex.

Eating disorders cost Colorado an estimated $1.1 billion annually and cause roughly 938 emergency room visits and 410 hospitalizations a year, per a 2020 national cost report. Known risk factors include coach or parent praise for weight loss, weight cycling, and participation in physique-focused individual sports like gymnastics, wrestling, and distance running.

Team sports not centered on weight, such as soccer and basketball, tend to be protective, while higher competition levels correlate with worse mental health outcomes, particularly for women and girls. The NCAA has issued guidelines urging coaches to de-emphasize weight and screen proactively, though the author notes such coach-focused research is still developing.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.