
JESSIE DIGGINS
Eating Disorder Survivor, Olympic Gold Medalist, Author of “Brave Enough”
“Words matter. What we say to the people who look up to us, especially as coaches and parents, can have a huge impact on them. You can’t directly cause an eating disorder with your words—eating disorders are complicated, and multiple factors contribute to their development. But the words we say to others can be, and often are, significant contributors to a person’s an eating disorder. Or, words can set one off. I know, because it happened to me.
As a coach, teacher or parent, you have the incredible opportunity to mindfully acknowledge the role food and body image play in each of our lives, and model self-care for the people who look up to you.”