Orthorexia nervosa: elite coaches’ perspectives

In doing so, the aim of this study is to explore elite coaches' perceptions and knowledge of ON in relation to ‘healthy food’, exercise, body ideals, and health. The specific aims are to critically analyse how these perceptions and knowledge disrupt or challenge coaching practices in light of a norm-critical perspective and healthism. Athletes are expected to maintain extreme levels of training and dietary discipline, which can foster harmful behaviours.

ON is a condition characterised by an obsessive focus on “healthy” eating and is increasingly observed in athletes. Importantly, this condition has potential negative physical and psychological consequences. Coaches play a key role in shaping norms around ‘healthy food’, exercise, body ideals, and health, sometimes unintentionally reinforcing risk behaviours. Despite this, little is known about how coaches perceive and address ON, particularly in the Swedish elite sport context. The project has an exploratory qualitative research design. Interviews with elite sport coaches will be used to produce data.

Thirteen elite coaches are selected based on different gender, age, and type of sport. All participants are currently working with athletes at the national or international elite level in Sweden, with at least two years of experience in elite coaching. The data will be analysed with a norm-critical and healthism focus.

This is the first qualitative study in Sweden to investigate ON from elite coaches’ perspectives. It addresses a significant knowledge gap by focusing on the cultural and normative dimensions of ON in sport, moving beyond predominantly quantitative research in this field. The integration of norm-criticality and healthism offers a novel analytical framework, enabling critical reflection on how coaching practices may both reproduce and challenge harmful ideals.