Summary
Physical activity (PA) is a key element in pursuing and preserving health in children and adolescents, and provides both physical and psychological benefits, reducing the risk for developing several chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiological problems.
However, an excess of PA may be also a physical expression of some eating disorders (EDs), especially anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, where abnormally high levels of physical exercise are exploited by the individual in order to lose weight and try to contrast the distorted image they see in the mirror.
The topic of MY FIT FRIEND is indeed a health problem deeply extended not only in the European Union but all around the world. Body image disorders are spreading among the overall population, and athletes can be a special at risk population, therefore it is urgent to act from diverse perspectives.
Against this background, the project wants to contribute to the objectives of implementing the Council Recommendation on health- enhancing physical activity and the EU Physical Activity Guidelines by organising training for exercise professionals, PE teachers, coaches-trainers and sport medicine doctors to give them the necessary knowledge to detect the adolescents suffering of EDS/ bigorexia during their physical activities and by addressing these adolescents, before becoming pathologically complex, to an appropriate counselling in order to recover the true value of sport and physical activity in a mind-body integration.
Thus MY FIT FRIEND wants to:
– Increase awareness in the population about the risk of an unattainable body image and Eds/bigorexia among young athletes and gym-goers.
– Provide young at risk of EDs/bigorexia or at early stage of EDs/bigorexia with the opportunity to be detected and managed in the best way.
– Create a multilevel network of professionals specialized in body image disorders, their early detection, management, and treatment.