Body image and supportive conversations
How body-image pressure affects athletes, and how the words coaches, families and support teams use can make the culture around food and bodies better.
Eating & body image
Aquatic athletes train and compete in togs, in front of people, in sports where bodies are visible and often commented on. A remark that seems harmless to an adult can stay with a young athlete for years.
This article from High Performance Sport New Zealand explains how body-image pressure builds, and gives coaches, parents and support staff real examples of language that helps and language that harms. It applies across genders, ages, abilities and levels of sport.
What to expect
A readable article with example phrases you can use straight away. A longer set of guidelines for organisations sits alongside it as a 17-page PDF. Both are free and need no account.
Good to know
The article is about everyday language and culture. It does not equip anyone to diagnose an eating problem. If you are worried about someone, help them reach a GP or another qualified professional.
Open the resource
- LinkPerformance Nutrition: Body image and difficult conversationsHigh Performance Sport New ZealandOpen
- PDFGuidelines for supporting positive body imageHigh Performance Sport New Zealand, 17 pagesOpen
- LinkHealthy Body Image videosInternational Olympic Committee. Four short fictional athlete stories, made with girls and women in mind, that can help start a conversation.Open