GLOSSARY

Body Image Pressure in Sport Sport-related pressure to conform to a perceived body appearance or shape ideal.

Disordered eating spans harmful patterns that may or may not meet criteria for a specific eating disorder. Eating disorders can occur at any body size and in any sex or sport. Restriction, recurrent bingeing, compensatory behaviors and marked distress deserve sensitive assessment; a scale reading alone cannot determine severity. Support should coordinate medical, nutrition and mental-health care when indicated. Avoid prescribing further restriction or praising rapid weight loss when the person's eating behavior or health is deteriorating.

Behavioral nutrition work links specific actions to barriers and supports in daily life. Self-monitoring, problem solving, achievable goals and supportive follow-up can make change more practical. Monitoring should be proportionate: detailed weighing or recording can be counterproductive for someone vulnerable to disordered eating. Motivational interviewing explores the person's own reasons and autonomy, while cognitive behavioral therapy addresses relevant patterns through a structured therapeutic process. These approaches should not be reduced to blame or generic encouragement.

Nutrition for a female athlete starts with adequate energy and nutrients for the actual sport, health and life stage. Menstrual history, iron losses, contraception, pregnancy and menopause can add important context. Average sex differences do not define every person's needs, and evidence from one hormonal state cannot automatically be applied to another. Ask about symptoms and preferences without assuming that menstruation requires restriction. Preserve confidentiality and use relevant health information to support care rather than to judge selection, commitment or athletic potential.

Male athletes can experience underfueling, disordered eating and bone-health problems even when body mass appears stable. Low testosterone has several possible explanations and requires assessment in its sampling and clinical context. A single result cannot establish a sport-related endocrine condition or justify hormone use. The male athlete triad connects low energy availability, reproductive suppression and impaired bone health. Nutrition care supports adequate energy and nutrient supply while the medical team evaluates other causes and determines appropriate monitoring and training participation.

For example, repeated comments about body size can make an athlete hide food restriction or avoid seeking help. Discuss health and performance without moral labels for food or weight. Coordinate confidential support when distress or compensatory behavior appears, and avoid using a lower body mass as the sole sign of success.

Relative energy deficiency in sport describes impaired health or function associated with problematic low energy availability and can affect female and male athletes. The duration, severity and individual context matter. No isolated body weight, symptom, hormone value or calculated energy-availability threshold can diagnose every case. Clinical assessment integrates history, signs, measurements and alternative explanations. The IOC assessment framework supports trained clinicians; it is not a self-scoring clearance tool. Management addresses energy supply and training while considering psychological support and the athlete's overall safety.

A nutrition care record should explain the assessment, interpretation, agreed plan, responsible professionals and follow-up criteria. Separate reported information from measured findings and clinical judgments. Record relevant units, dates, methods and changes so that another practitioner can understand the decision. Seek consent for sharing sensitive information and limit access appropriately. A referral should communicate the specific concern and urgency rather than only a broad label. In sport, documentation should support continuity of care while protecting health information from inappropriate use in coaching or selection.