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Eating disorders and problems associated with eating
and body image have been an ongoing and growing issue
among college students and in society in general. After
intensive research in the field of eating disorders, is
has become clear that body image plays a critical role
in the etiology, development, and treatment of eating
disorders and obesity.
Eating problems fall within a broad range of
eating-related feelings, attitudes, and behaviors.
Consider the following continuum:
Body image confidence is characterized by mostly
positive feelings about your body shape and size. In
this range, your body is seen as a good part of you that
can help you enjoy life. For body confident people, all
foods are seen as fitting into an overall healthy diet,
without feeling that some foods are "good" and some
"bad." Given the messages we all receive daily about
what we "should" look like, it can be challenging to
maintain your place at this end of the continuum.
Preoccupation with body shape/size and eating
involves frequently thinking about food, eating, and
your body. In this range of the continuum, you may find
yourself thinking about what you ate at your last meal
and feeling that you'll need to "make up for it." You
may be a little inflexible about what you "allow"
yourself to eat. There may be moments where you feel
guilty or bad for what you've eaten. In addition, you
may not like the way certain parts of your body look or
you may consistently feel that you could lose a few
pounds. In general, however, these feelings do not
interfere with enjoying life and engaging in situations
involving food.
Eating or Body Image Distress refers to a level
where your preoccupation with eating and body size/shape
does interfere with daily interactions and activities.
You may find yourself thinking a great deal about food
or your looks. In this range of the continuum, you may
be fairly rigid in your eating patterns, you may work
hard to change your body size/shape, and/or you may do
some compensating for eating (e.g. vomiting, fasting,
extreme exercising). Typically, however, you will not
have experienced a significant amount of weight loss.
Eating Disorders most commonly refer to Anorexia
Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder.
ANOREXIA NERVOSA involves a significant fear of
gaining weight or becoming fat and a restriction of food
intake to the point of significant weight loss. Women
with Anorexia Nervosa stop menstruating. People who
struggle with Anorexia Nervosa may or may not engage in
compensating behaviors such as extreme exercising.
BULIMIA NERVOSA involves binge eating episodes
during which the person eats large amounts of food and
feels unable to control the eating. The person may also
engage in behaviors (e.g., vomiting, use of laxatives,
over exercising) to try to offset food eaten. Bulimia
Nervosa describes a pattern where cycles of binge eating
and compensating occur at least twice a week for three
months. People struggling with Bulimia Nervosa often
evaluate themselves extremely critically on the basis of
their body shape and weight.
BINGE EATING DISORDER describes a pattern where
binge eating occurs at least 2 days a week for a 6 month
period, but without compensating behaviors.
Source: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
Counseling Center
Information about Eating Disorders
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
Registered Dietitian at USC
The Thomson Student Health Center offers a wide range of
prevention programming through nutritional counseling.
How can you get help?
It is important to remember that there is hope for those
who suffer from eating problems. A variety of treatment
approaches have been effective in preventing, reducing,
or stopping the troublesome behaviors and in developing
new ways of coping with underlying feelings. An
important first step in overcoming an eating problem is
to acknowledge that you have an eating problem. An
important aspect of this step is realizing your
distressing eating behaviors and feelings are about more
than just food. The next step is to talk with
professionals who are experienced in working with people
who have eating problems.
Treatment for eating problems can be composed of many
elements including medical monitoring, nutritional
counseling, education, and individual and/or group
counseling. The University of South Carolina’s Eating
Disorders Multidisciplinary Management Team (EDMMT) is
designed to address eating problems from these varied
angles. The team is made up of professionals who work
together to provide comprehensive services to students
who have eating disorders. Along with providing relief
from having to keep such an important issue secret,
these professionals can help you improve self-esteem,
challenge negative body image messages, and develop
healthy and supportive relationships, as well as guide
you toward a healthier lifestyle.
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