In the modern sports world, there is a pressing need to educate and prevent health issues like Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), which can lead to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders.

To address this, the "Sunn Utøver" ("The Healthy Athlete") app was developed with insights from sports experts, coaches, and athletes. This cutting-edge tool provides educational modules, community support, and tracking features to boost awareness of training, nutrition, and mental health.

"Sunn Utøver" aims to educate athletes and coaches about REDs, a condition caused by insufficient energy intake relative to energy expenditure, leading to serious health consequences. Unlike traditional methods that focus on symptom management among elite female athletes, this app offers accessible education for all competitive levels and genders, emphasizing early detection and prevention.

Using a human-centered and collaborative design approach, the app was iteratively developed through interviews, user testing, and co-creation with young athletes and experts. It incorporates behavioral change techniques to promote ongoing learning and proactive health management. Evaluated through the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) and the System Usability Scale (SUS), "Sunn Utøver" scored 83, proving its effectiveness in fostering healthy behaviors and awareness in the sports community. This proactive approach to REDs prevention marks a significant advancement in supporting athletes’ health and performance sustainability.

Project number: 998012234

Funder: NTNU Discovery – Innovation grant