When to use this
The moment a fueling concern stops looking like a habit problem and starts looking like a health risk.
- An athlete shows repeated dizziness, rapid weight change, visible restriction, or a second bone-stress injury.
- A teammate or parent brings you a concern about how an athlete is eating.
- Preseason staff training, so every coach knows the escalation chain before anyone needs it.
Advanced lab
The escalation tree, step by step
The sheet names the posture: notice, document, escalate. Tell the athletic trainer the same day, then the parent. This is the actual tree — who gets contacted, in what order, and what the coach says at each step.
This tree covers coach behavior, not treatment. Diagnosis and clearance belong to the physician, fueling plans to a sports dietitian, and disordered-eating support to mental-health professionals — the coach's job is to move the athlete to them quickly and calmly.
Evidence sources
These references support the handout’s general education. Individual medical, supplement, laboratory, or injury questions should be handled by the appropriate qualified clinician.
- Mountjoy M, Sundgot-Borgen JK, Burke LM, et al. (2023) IOC 2023 consensus statement on REDs. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57:1073-1098.
- Desbrow B, et al.(2019) Sports Dietitians Australia position statement on adolescent athlete nutrition.
Where to go next
