Eating disorders and poor nutrition are two problems plaguing today's student-athletes during the years of eligible competition.

Student-athletes not only are concerned with how well they execute plays or how many wins they have during the course of the season, but they also are concerned with their body composition and what they look like while playing. Student-athletes may not be satisfied with their appearance until reaching their own ideal look, but many times that look comes from questionable sources in the media or external pressures in society.

In January, the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports met with members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC) and athletics administrators to create a focus group on nutrition and eating disorders. Some important issues were discussed and feedback was given on how to address these issues using the correct medium.

SAAC members voiced concerns about what the "skinny culture" consists of and the negative impacts affecting student-athletes during competition. They also discussed the ideas of optimal performance and body weight, as well as issues dealing with teammates who may have eating disorders. The group recognizes this may be one of the hardest situations to deal with, and great care needs to be given to the way these individuals are treated.

Discussion also involved other factors that negatively contribute to these problems. Among those cited were lack of education of coaches, self-conscious feelings about uniforms (women's volleyball), administrative policies of making weight (track, basketball, swimming, wrestling) and constant images from the media that imply "fat is bad" rather that stressing the importance of good nutrition.

The focus group developed a number of key messages for addressing these concerns. Among them were proper health and performance balance, nutritional guidance, individual training and education on a more personal level, the creation of an athletic body model, and a sense of student-athlete empowerment.

A checklist called "Issues to Consider in Creating a Positive Environment for Student-Athletes Regarding Nutrition and Body Image" has been created for coaches, athletics administrators and student-athletes to help offset eating-disorder problems.

Many times, the care and well-being of student-athletes is limited to the time spent at the institutions, when in fact their habits carry over after their eligibility is up. The fact is, student-athletes do not always know how to taper eating habits to perform normal daily functions after their eligibility is over.

Football players are specifically trained to eat for size and strength during their playing careers. After school is over, they need to be properly educated that eating for optimum health in life after sports is not the same as eating for competition.

Student-athletes feel this important issue needs attention.

The CHAMPS/Life Skills and similar groups that directly address these areas for student-athletes are great places to start.

Dewayne Barnes is an assistant athletic trainer at Whittier College and a member of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.