It's well-known that college can either trigger or exacerbate eating disorders in those who are prone to the condition. Despite this, many universities fail to offer adequate support. In the Feb. 2 edition of The Daily Cardinal, University of Wisconsin-Madison student Emily Sutter took the school to task for its lack of support.

If you enter UHS [University Health Services] counseling services meeting the criteria for anorexia, bulimia, or eating disorder not otherwise specified, they will very kindly show you the door letting you know that they do not treat eating disorders while giving you a list of therapists in the area that do.

For someone who is unsure about treatment, that is typically the end of the road. Seeking help for an eating disorder is a terrifying experience, and having a door shut in your face provides little motivation to take that step again. ...

Living with an eating disorder is very lonely, and for the longest time I felt ashamed. It is so comforting to finally be surrounded by people who relate to what I am feeling. In group, I do not have to hide anything or fear that I will be judged.

I do not ever have to worry that my support group will shut a door in my face and say, "sorry, we wont help you," like UHS has done to so many suffering with eating disorders. We are fed up (yes, pun intended) with this type of response to our outreach for help. A change needs to happen now before someone loses his or her life to an eating disorder.

Labels: colleges, support

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A psychology professor at Emory University is attempting to prevent weight problems and eating disorders among students by offering a class entitled "Appetite Awareness Training."

According to a May 4 article by Helena Oliviero of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Professor Linda Craighead's students eat dinner during class, while talking about topics such as appetite, hunger, and emotional eating:

Craighead, who specializes in eating disorders and weight-management issues, said that although our culture glorifies thinness, it doesn't really promote a trim lifestyle, making it challenging to eat a healthy diet. From the boss who brings boxes of doughnuts to work to commuters facing long drives and ubiquitous fast food, it's easy to stray.

Still, she said, learning how to recognize stomach cues -- instead of eating out of stress or boredom -- can go a long way in battling the bulge. So does being proactive (Craighead keeps Balance bars and microwave-ready tomato soup with her at all times).

With weight concerns and eating disorders among teens becoming increasingly prevalent, Prof. Craighead told the Journal-Constitution that it is important for parents to talk to their children about healthy eating.

Labels: eating disorders, colleges, healthy eating

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A 2006 study conducted by the National Eating Disorders Association found that nearly one in five college students admitted to having suffered from an eating disorder. Despite this high number, though, few students ask for help.

Students' silence speaks to disordered thinking that characterizes the disease. "The nature of eating disorders ... is that there's a big period of denial," [Mary Commerford, director of Furman Counseling Center at Barnard] said. "Literally 'I'm doing this, it's normal, I don't have a problem.'" Source: Columbia (University) Spectator

Students who struggled with an eating disorder prior to college are especially at risk, because the added pressures of collegiate life make overcoming the disorders more difficult. Fear of their disorder becoming public also keeps many young disordered eaters from seeking help.

But getting help for an eating disorder can be as close as a confidential conversation with a counselor or an online discussion with an expert in the field. These simple steps can help a student get on the road to recovery and healthy living.

Labels: eating disorders, colleges, counseling, students

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Students at the University of Washington in Seattle put on a fashion show designed to display all kinds of body types, not just skinny models. The show, entitled "Everybody, Every Body," featured female models up to size 26, ranging in height from four foot ten to over six feet, and male models size 30 to 44, ranging in height from five foot six to six foot three.

The University of Washington fashion design students ran the show using clothes from outlets such as Torrid, Lucy, and The North Face. The show was conducted in conjunction with National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

"It's a crazy, crazy time," said co-director Rachel Hollcraft. "People who are pregnant are trying to lose weight. All this needs to end. We need to love ourselves as is."

Labels: fashion, colleges, models

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Seven organizations on the campus of the University of Alabama have joined forces to raise awareness about the prevalence and dangers of eating disorders. Several events have been planned, including a fashion show and a blue jean drive.

"The goal this week is trifold," said Student Health Center dietician Lori Greene. "Increase awareness and education about eating disorders, promote a positive body image, and inform students of the resources that are here on UA's campus for someone that may be suffering from disordered eating."

In addition to the big events, tables were scheduled to be set up throughout the campus to provide information about eating disorders, including where and how people can get help. Source: The Crimson White

Labels: awareness, colleges

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The Body Image Coalition held their second annual Jeans Drive during National Eating Disorders Week. The Coalition placed decorated boxes throughout the Cabrini (Penn.) College campus, where students could drop off their unwanted jeans.

"By organizing the Jeans Drive, [Andrea] Sussel and the rest of the BIC hoped to improve the self-esteem issues of college students by having them get rid of pairs of jeans that might just be sitting in the closet."

One of the main goals of the drive is to encourage students to appreciate their bodies, rather than wishing they fit into a smaller size jean. All jeans collected during the drive are donated to Laurel House, a domestic violence shelter in Norristown. Pa. Source: The Loquitur (college newspaper for Cabrini College)

Labels: colleges, students, body_image

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McGill University in Montreal, Canada, attracts perfectionists - and staff dietician Monique Lauzon thinks that the school's high-pressure environment can cause relapses in students who have previously struggled with eating disorders.

"'It is possible [eating disorders] will develop associated with a competition over marks. Perfectionists are always looking at someone whose body is closer to perfection than one's own, and the residence environment tends to encourage that,' [Lauzon] said, adding that McGill attracts perfectionists given its high acceptance standards for prospective students."

Students - freshmen in particular - may revert back to disordered eating habits if they feel that some aspect of their academic career is out of their hands. They may not be able to control their grades, they think, but they can control their eating and weight. Source: The Muse (McGill Student Newspaper)

Labels: colleges, students

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The stress of college is causing thousands of students - most of them female - to develop unhealthy eating patterns that could become eating disorders. Studies show that about one in five college students is bulimic, while about one in ten is anorexic - numbers that are dramatically higher than the general population.

"College is a time when many eating disorders can reappear or develop due to a variety of reasons. Some of them include fear of the 'freshman 15,' close living conditions where pressure to be thin is intensified, coping with more stress and living in a new environment, unlimited access to food in the dining hall, and sports, where they feel the need to be a certain weight to be successful."

Holly Grishkat, psychological director at the Renfrew Center, says that eating issues for many college students are not about weight, but about coping - with stress, loneliness or anxiety. If you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating habits, get help right away before the behavior becomes a life-threatening illness. Source: The Cabrini College Loquitur

Labels: colleges, causes of eating disorders, stress

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In an effort to reduce the risk of eating disorders among its students, Harvard University is removing calorie counters from its dining hall.

"The school posted a blog on the issue: 'We need to address the challenge a quiet and surprisingly large contingent of our community faces with eating disorders. Those individuals place an undue emphasis on calories...'"

Student response was mixed, with some thinking it's a good idea, and others believing that students with eating disorders will simply get calorie information elsewhere. Source: CW56 News (Cambridge, MASS)

Labels: colleges, support, calorie_restriction

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