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: causes of eating disorders, colleges, stress

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: calorie_restriction, colleges, support