Eating disorders in athletes: role of perceived social pressure on thinness, coach's behaviour, social appearance anxiety, selfcriticism and self esteem Research shows that various external pressures and internal characteristics are associated with the development of symptoms of eating disorders in athletes. The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of coach's negative behaviours, perceived social pressure on thinness, self-criticism, social appearance anxiety and self esteem on the development of symptoms of eating disorders in athletes from different sport categories. The study included 594 participants, students of Kinesiology faculty in Zagreb, aged 18-28 years, of which 397 were men and 196 women. Gender differences were found in the incidence of symptoms of eating disorders: incidence of symptoms of eating disorders are more frequent in women. There were no detected differences regarding the category of sport they are involved in. Factors that explain the variance of symptoms of eating disorders on the total sample are: gender, perceived social pressure on thinness, self-criticism and social appearance anxiety. When considering only women or only men, in the group of women the only significant predictor is perceived social pressure on thinness. In the group of men significant predictors are: perceived socially pressure on thinness, self-criticism and social appearance anxiety. When the sample was separated by sports that are considered at risk of developing eating disorders and those that are not considered high risk, in the high risk sports group, significant predictors are gender and perceived social pressure. In non-risk sports group predictors are: gender, perceived social pressure, self-criticism and social appearance anxiety. Perceived social pressure on thinness has a direct effect on the development of symptoms of eating disorders and an indirect effect through self-criticism and social appearance anxiety. Coach's negative behavior doesn't have a direct effect on the symptoms of eating disorders but has an indirect effect through self-criticism and social appereance anxiety. The results indicate the largest contribution of the perceived social pressure on thinness to the development of symptoms of eating disorders for male and female athletes and the importance of self-criticism and social appearance anxiety only for male athletes.