Have you ever heard someone say, “she looks like a runner” or “he’s got the build of a quarterback.” While these may sound like compliments, they are clear indications that we have a perception of what an athlete is supposed to look like. Weight stigma in youth sports can potentially exclude, discriminate, and/or self-exclude from participation.
What is Weight Stigma?
In its simplest terms, weight stigma is having a belief or view about someone based on their weight. Typically. this is seen in a negative way, for those who are considered overweight or obese.
Weight stigma occurs in many settings but can be extremely detrimental to a young person who is interested in sports. There is no doubt that to rise to an elite level in sports, there is a large genetic component. Most would agree that a 5’5″ teenager may not make it in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t play and love basketball.
What are the Dangers of Weight Stigma?
It is without question that children require physical activity on a daily basis. The experts are very clear on this. We also know that daily physical activity is a major tool for the prevention of overweight and obesity in kids.
In a study with adult participants, it was found that they “excluded themselves from sport and exercise settings due to traumatic weight stigma experiences, self-discrimination and fear of stigma, using a variety of strategies.”
They also avoided situations and circumstances that might put them in a situation that provided exercise in a social situation.
For children, this can be particularly devastating. A review of weight-based victimization and physical activity among adolescents found that youth “reported experiences of teasing and bullying by peers, humiliation, and feelings of insecurity about appearance as barriers to engagement in physical activity.”
In the youth sports setting, this may look different. This may be the coach benching a player because of their weight, regardless of their ability level. A parent may decide that their child doesn’t “look” like someone in that particular sport and not sign them up for a youth rec team.
As mentioned in the study above, self-exclusion is the most devastating danger of weight stigma for young athletes. Perhaps a child will not try a sport for fear of humiliation or will not continue in a sport if they do not fit a certain aesthetic.
How to Decrease Weight Stigma in Youth Sports
It is possible to decrease weight stigma in youth sports. The first step is recognizing that it exists. If you’re a parent, start listening to the words your child uses when they talk about sports. If that talk involves words about their body, either what they perceive as a limitation because of their weight, or self-doubt in their ability to succeed because of their weight, start a conversation.
As children grow, some put on weight in late elementary school and middle school, but this doesn’t mean they will be overweight in high school. This is also a prime time to get them involved in youth sports and double down on their need for physical activity at this age. Encourage them to be active and know that they will continue to grow taller.
If you’re a coach, do not comment on weight or body size, for girls or boys. Yes, you want to win, but you also are charged with developing young athletes. Being involved in sports provides so many more advantages to kids than just teaching them how to win. It also teaches them how to lose, provides leadership opportunities, develops emotional intelligence, and it is an important social space. If you hear comments about weight or size from other adults or athletes, stop it immediately.
Encourage children of all sizes to be involved in youth sports. Eventually, they will gravitate to the one sport that works for their body, or they may decide that sports aren’t for them. But let them make the choice based on likes/dislikes, not on their body size or weight.
It is also essential to have weight-inclusive uniforms. By not having uniforms that fit every body size, we are telling children they don’t “fit” in that sport. Celebrate their movement and remember that when they are taught that engaging in physical activity is fun, they won’t see it as dreaded exercise.
