– There is a lack of concrete proposals for measures. And the proposals that are there are not well enough documented to have an effect, says Professor Jorunn Sundgot-Borgen to news. Jorunn Sundgot-Borgen, professor, Norwegian Sports Academy. Photo: Norwegian Sports Academy Sundgot-Borgen has called for an action plan to prevent eating disorders and dissatisfaction with one’s own body for a long time. That is why she was both relieved and happy when the Storting asked the Norwegian Sports Confederation to hire the development of a new action plan in autumn 2022. A consequence of Dagbladet’s article series “A sick skiing nation”, which among other things revealed that one in three young, active, female cross-country skiers are at risk of developing an eating disorder. But when the professor saw the proposal for the working group, which was delivered to the Ministry of Culture and Equality in December, she was disappointed to say the least. Therese Fostervold Mathisen at Østfold University College. Photo: HiØ She is not alone: - I think this is serious. It is a disclaimer of responsibility from NIF to push this “down the ranks”, says associate professor Therese Fostervold Mathisen from Østfold University College, to news. – I feel that the report fails the sport specifically and the problem it faces, but also on measures that are documented to be effective in relation to preventing eating disorders, she adds. Selection of proposed measures in the action plan Proposes creating an environment of expertise to “pool” the work and expertise around the prevention of eating disorders in sport. Develop teaching materials and courses for coaches, sports groups and parents. Asks the special confederations to identify risk factors and prepare plans for their own sports, as well as work systematically with structural changes that can reduce the risk of REDS and eating disorders in the individual sport. Draw up specific rules and guidelines for measurements, where measuring and weighing athletes under the age of 18 will only be accepted for medical purposes. Norwegian sport should give a clear signal about the restrictive use of measurement and weighing in Norwegian sport. Increase the proportion of women in managers, trainers and support staff around athletes to ensure greater diversity of competence around the athletes. Skills development outside the sports organisation. Read the response from Vibecke Sørensen, head of the working group set up by the Norwegian Sports Confederation, further down in the case. – Disclaimer Both Sundgot-Borgen and Mathisen are particularly skeptical of one of the measures that have been proposed: “The special associations should identify risk factors and prepare plans for their own sports, and then work systematically with structural changes that can reduce the risk of REDS and eating disorders in each individual sports.” it’s called. – Who in the special association has the competence to do this? asks Sundgot-Borgen rhetorically. At the same time, she points out that primarily volunteers work under the various special associations. Shift the responsibility onto society Sundgot-Borgen points out that structural measures are needed, such as concrete rule changes in the various sports. But the report acknowledges to a small extent that sport has a major problem with eating disorders in the first place, she points out. In the report, it is primarily presented as a societal problem, she believes. – As I experience it, they don’t realize that there are sport-specific conditions that contribute to the high incidence of eating disorders in sport, she says. – What measures are missing? – The measures that shine through are education. Skill development and teaching all the time. And for those who are in different sports cultures and compete under given conditions, it is not necessarily knowing that I should eat more or train less that helps, points out Sundgot-Borgen. – How serious is it that you still have to stand here and say this in 2024? – I think it is very serious, because we have had knowledge that lies ahead of both risk factors, triggering factors and occurrence for many years. For more than 30 years. Nevertheless, we haven’t gotten any further than standing and giving lectures and imparting knowledge, says Mathisen. Rejects criticism Vibecke Sørensen, who has led the work on preparing the action plan, rejects that the Norwegian Sports Confederation abdicates responsibility. She points out that NIF does not own special associations, but that they are autonomous associations that have their own activities. – Even though it is stated as a measure, this does not mean that NIF will not help the special confederations in relation to getting the expertise they need, says Sørensen. Vibecke Sørensen, head of department at Bærum Hospital and former 1st vice-president of the Norwegian Sports Confederation. Photo: NTB This is precisely why they have proposed setting up a competence centre. In the work on the plan, there was a desire from several parties to gather professionals and expertise in one place, she points out. – But you cannot bring together different actors who work in isolation with their focus areas, she says and continues: – When one of the measures we propose says that the special associations must take more responsibility, you must of course also contribute to them getting help to increase their competence so that they can take that responsibility. – Sundgot-Borgen believes that the report primarily presents eating disorders as a social problem and to a small extent recognizes it as a problem in sport, what do you think about that? – I think that is a completely wrong way of reading this action plan. She then does not see that the measures we propose are important in relation to improvement in sport, says Sørensen. – Not all athletes have free access to the Olympic summit. The athletes often have to contact their GPs and doctors. The sport cannot and should not be responsible for the medical treatment of our athletes. Then we need good cooperation with the healthcare system, says Sørensen, and emphasizes that it was part of the task of the mandate to look at cooperation outside of sport.
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