| Biological risk factors |
Age Stages of growth, development or puberty Genetic risk factors, for example, EDs, addictions in family Precocious growth or development Growth or development that is significantly different from the average
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| Psychological risk factors |
Body dissatisfaction, body image distortion Low self-esteem Personality traits, for example, perfectionism Obsessive-compulsive tendencies/traits Neuroticism (depression, anxiety, emotional lability) Harm avoidance Heightened stress reactivity Inflexible, rule-drive, drive for order and symmetry Risk-taking behaviour
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| Sociocultural risk factors |
Eating pressures/modelling Peer pressure regarding physical appearance or weight Influence of the media ‘Thin ideal’, ‘muscularity ideal’ or ‘fit ideal’ Direct or perceived pressure to modify appearance or weight Weight/appearance-based teasing, bullying Social Isolation Experiences of weight stigma, including in healthcare and within sporting environments
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| Sport-specific risk factors |
Transition periods Early start of sport-specific training Making a senior team at a young age Retirement (forced or voluntary) Non-selection or de-selection Injury, illness, surgery, time away from sport and training
Changes in weight/body shape following injury/illness Pressures (perceived or real) to change body shape or composition Weight cycling Patterns of restriction or disordered behaviours Coaching behaviour and accepted ‘norms’ within sport Rules and regulations in sports Performance optimisation pressure Use of supplements, and nutritional and ergogenic aids Body composition testing, weighing and measuring Public displays of ‘results’ in common areas, for example, training environment Media and social media pressure (perceived or real) to look a certain way
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| Gender-based factors |
Media-driven gender stereotypes Drive for muscularity/leanness/thinness Anabolic-androgenic steroid use Gender diversity
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| Other risk factors |
Chronic disease related to caloric utilisation, for example, diabetes, thyroid Co-occurring conditions, for example, coeliac disease, other gastrointestinal conditions LGBTQI+ History of trauma History of food insecurity Major life transitions, for example, moving away from home, moving between schools, moving overseas
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