About the Presentation
Male athletes face unique and often overlooked risks for eating disorders, especially in sports that emphasize leanness, power-to-weight ratios, or muscularity. Research shows that disordered eating behaviors are not uncommon among boys and young men in sport, yet stigma, masculine norms, and systemic barriers often delay recognition and treatment—leading to greater medical and psychological severity when care finally begins. For sport social workers and other professionals who support athletes, understanding these dynamics is critical. This presentation will highlight key risk domains for male athletes, including the use of appearance and performance-enhancing substances, pressure to achieve muscularity and masculinity ideals, and patterns of weight cycling, all of which complicate detection and care. Attendees will leave with practical assessment tools that target muscularity-oriented eating and RED-S risks, along with sport-informed, gender-responsive strategies for treatment planning and return-to-play guidance—knowledge that will directly enhance their ability to support and advocate for the health and performance of male athletes.
