Colorado coach training could expand to spot eating disorders in youth athletes

Colorado has enacted the Alyssa’s Youth Concussion and Mental Health Protection Act, which obliges coaches at middle, junior high and high schools to complete training on a range of mental-health issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma and suicide prevention. The legislation was named after a 13-year-old athlete who died by suicide after multiple concussions. Health professionals point out that the current curriculum omits eating-disorder education, despite data showing that roughly 9% of Colorado residents will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime and that the state incurs about $1.1 billion each year in related costs.

Athlete-specific risk factors such as weight cycling, coach-driven dieting pressure and praise for weight loss contribute to higher disorder rates, which can impair performance, increase injuries and lead to serious medical complications like the female and male athlete triads. Adding eating-disorder modules could enable coaches to spot symptoms early, refer students for treatment, and follow NCAA recommendations to de-emphasize weight and promote body-positive environments. Specialized treatment programs for athletes, including those offered by Monte Nido, Equip and Opal Food and Body, are also available to support affected youths.