Have you ever been on a diet or tried different dietary supplements to help you burn fat or build muscle?  Have you ever worried about your weight and said things like, “I feel so fat!”  Have you ever overeaten because you were feeling anxious, lonely, or depressed, and then felt really guilty and disgusted about yourself afterwards?  Have you ever seen these types of concerns take over someone’s life and progress into a full-blown eating disorder?

As many as 10% of high school and college students have some form of serious eating disorder (including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder).  A great many more young women, and a significant minority of men, find their lives restricted on a daily basis by a negative body image, food or weight preoccupation, exercise addiction, and unhealthy dieting practices.  Consider these alarming facts:

•   75% of college-age women consider themselves overweight, even though most are within a normal weight range (and 45% are actually underweight).
•  More girls and women fear becoming fat than they fear dying.
•  By 4th grade, 80% of California girls have been on their first diet.
•  In high school more than 2/3 of girls are dieting at any given moment.
•  Almost 1 out of every 2 adult women is on a diet at any given moment.
•  1 in 5 high school girls take diet pills, and many more are using laxatives, diuretics, fasting, and vomiting in desperate attempts to slice their bodies as slim as they can.
•  Despite all this dieting, obesity rates have increased a staggering 60% over the past 2 decades.  And, now it’s estimated that more than half of adult women are overweight or obese.
•  Eating disorders kill, with the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

•   43% of men are dissatisfied with their overall appearance, and 53% are dissatisfied with their weight. (Psychology Today survey in 1997).
•  College men, on average, want a body that is 30 lb. more muscular than the body they have.
•  The body ideal that men THINK women prefer is actually 15-20 lb. more muscular than what women really prefer.
•  The majority of teenage boys chose a body ideal that most men could only attain with illegal anabolic steroids.
•  1 in 4 high school boys have used an extreme weight loss method at least occasionally, and 9% have used such a method at least weekly.
•  6.6% of 12^th grade boys use or have used illegal anabolic steroids.  Many more high school boys are spending up to $50-100 per week on nutritional supplements to bulk up..

Clearly, food, weight, and body shape concerns are common among teens and young adults, including college students.  Read on to learn…

·        What factors contribute to disordered eating and body hatred.

·        What are the warning signs and complications of serious eating disorders.

·        How you can help yourself.

·        What is the best way to help a friend.

·        How you can promote a healthy campus culture.

Why Disordered Eating?  Why Now?

Eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors are complex problems, stemming from a variety of cultural, social, familial, psychological, and biological influences.  Contrary to what many people think, these disorders are NOT just about food and weight issues.  Rather, food and weight issues are symptoms of a much more complicated, underlying problem.

To gain a greater understanding about eating disorders and the people who suffer from them, consider the many factors that contribute to their development.

Size Prejudice

In American culture (and particularly in southern California), there is a lot of emphasis placed on body weight, size, and appearance.  And, we are conditioned from a very young age to believe that self-worth is derived from these external characteristics.  For example, being thin and/or muscular is associated with being “hard-working, successful, popular, beautiful, strong, and disciplined.”  On the other hand, being “fat” is associated with being “lazy, ignorant, hated, ugly, weak, and lacking will-power.” These stereotypes are prevalent in our society; and they are reinforced by the media, our family and friends, and even well-respected health professionals.  As a result, we often unfairly judge others and ourselves based on weight and size alone.  We feel great anxiety and pressure to achieve and/or maintain a very lean physique.  And, we erroneously believe that if we can just be thinner or more muscular, we can be happier, more successful, and more accepted by society.  

The Media

The media sets unrealistic standards for what body weight and appearance is considered “normal.”  Girls are indoctrinated at a very young age that Barbie is how a woman is supposed to look (i.e. no fat anywhere on your body, but huge breasts!).  NOTE:  If Barbie were life-size, she would stand 5’9” and weigh 110 lb. (only 76% of what is considered a healthy weight for her height!).  Her measurements would be 39-18-33, and she would not menstruate due to inadequate levels of fat on her body!  Similarly, boys are given the impression that men naturally have muscles bulging all over their bodies.  Take a look at their plastic action-figures (like GI Joe Extreme) in toy stores.  If GI Joe Extreme were life-size, he would have a 55-inch chest and a 27-inch bicep.  In other words, his bicep would be almost as big as his waist and bigger than most competitive body builders!  These body ideals are reinforced every day on TV shows, movies, magazine covers, and even video games.

The media’s portrayal of what is “normal” keeps getting thinner and thinner for women and more muscular and ripped for men.  Twenty-five years ago, the average female model weighed 8% less than the average American woman.  Currently, the average female model weighs 23% below her average weight.  Similar trends are seen with men.  The average Playgirl centerfold man has shed about 12 lbs. of fat, while putting on approximately 27 lb. of muscle over the past 25 years.

With these media images and body ideals, it’s little wonder that women and men feel inadequate, ashamed, and dissatisfied with how they look.  Only about 5% of women have the genetic make up to ever achieve the ultra-long and thin model body type so pervasive in the media.  Yet that is the only body type that women see and can compare themselves to.  Similarly, all boys see is a body ideal that for most men is impossible to achieve without illegal anabolic steroids.  There is a physiologically limit to how much muscle a man’s body can attain naturally, given his height, frame, and body fat percentage.  In other words, it’s physiologically impossible to gain unlimited pounds of pure bulging muscle mass while maintaining an ultra lean, ripped body (with only 3-7% body fat)--even when following the “perfect” training and diet program.  Once you reach your maximal muscle mass, any further gains will come from both muscle AND fat.  So, men who have greater muscle mass/size tend to have higher body fat percentages as well (e.g. 10-15%).  Unfortunately, however, the action figure heroes on toy store shelves and male fitness models on magazine covers and ads suggest otherwise. 

Social & Family Pressures

In college, you may feel great pressure to be thin or super muscular in order to be accepted by your peers and attractive to potential romantic partners (especially in Los Angeles, one of the most weight, diet, and fitness-crazed cities in the world!).  If you’re living with a lot of other students (especially women) in a sorority/fraternity house or residence hall, the pressure may be even more intense.  In these group living situations, you may be surrounded by negative “body talk” all the time…in the bathroom, in the dining halls, in your dorm room…there’s no escaping the comments (“Yuck!  Look at my thighs…I’m so fat!  I really need to go on a diet!”).  All these comments can make you crazy!  They can make you start worrying about your own weight and make you start feeling self-conscious about your own body, even though you never worried about it before.

Your mother, or other family member, may have done the same thing while your were growing up by making constant comments about her own weight (or yours) and enforcing lots of food restrictions on herself (or you).  Early on, you may have gotten the message that you need to be thin in order to be accepted and loved by your parents.

If you’re an athlete, you may feel tremendous pressure to lose weight or body fat so you can make a specific weight class (i.e. wrestling, crew, boxing), race faster (i.e. running, cycling), or look more attractive to the judges or audience (i.e. gymnastics, dance, cheerleading, figure skating).  The pressure may come from you, your teammates, your coach, and/or your parents.

Medical Weight Standards

Weight and height measurements are routinely done at health clinics; and you are often assigned a certain label (“underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese”) based on these measurements.  Your clinician may even encourage you to lose weight, to see a dietitian, or to consider drugs or surgery, without even asking about your eating and exercise habits and considering your level of fitness.  The clinician, of course, has good intentions.  After all, clinicians are taught in their medical training about all the perils of “obesity.”  And, they are reminded again and again (often by pharmaceutical company-sponsored meetings and events) that obesity is a “disease” that can (and should) be aggressively treated with drugs. 

Weight measurements may actually reflect bad eating habits, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor health and fitness, but not necessarily.  In fact, there are many large, “overweight” (but fit) men and women who eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and enjoy excellent health (as indicated by their optimal blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels).  And, there are many “healthy weight” men and women who do not. 

If you have experienced this type of weight prejudice by the medical community, it’s understandable that your body image and self-esteem would suffer.  After all, you are being told by one of the most powerful and respected members of society that you are “diseased.”  The guilt, shame, and self-loathing associated with such a label does nothing to support healthy eating, physical activity, and good health.  In many cases, it does just the opposite.

Personality Traits

Perfectionism, compulsiveness, competitiveness, and high achievement expectations are personality traits commonly associated with college students.  These personality traits helped you get into a prestigious university like UCLA.  But these personality traits may also carry over to other aspects of life (like wanting to be the perfect weight, eat the perfect diet, have the perfect work-out program).  Having these personality traits doesn’t cause you to develop an eating disorder, but they do put you at greater risk of developing one if other environmental factors are also present.

Underlying Mood, Anxiety, or Personality Disorders

Many people who suffer from eating disorders also suffer from one or more other psychiatric problems, such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder, or borderline personality.  In fact, the disordered eating behaviors (e.g. binge eating, compulsive exercise, obsessive counting and controlling of calories) may be adaptive responses to an underlying chemical imbalance in the brain, which is causing the depression or anxiety. 

For instance, serotonin and cortisol are neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) that affect mood, sleep, and appetite.  Low levels of serotonin (or high levels of cortisol) are often associated with depression, anxiety, poor sleep, and increased appetite.  People suffering from low serotonin levels (or high cortisol levels) often participate in maladaptive behaviors that work to raise or lower them, respectively.  Carbohydrate binges, compulsive exercise, and obsessive thinking all work to increase serotonin levels; so these behaviors temporarily correct the chemical imbalance in the brain.  (NOTE: Cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption may serve similar functions, as coping mechanisms for underlying biological or psychological problems.)  Fortunately, there are several health-promoting behaviors that can normalize the balance between serotonin and cortisol (e.g. yoga or meditation, massage, expressive hobbies, full spectrum lighting, moderate physical activity, professional counseling, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine and aspartame).  Regular participation in these health-promoting behaviors can decrease the need to engage in more damaging ones.  The hard part is learning to replace the damaging behaviors with the health-promoting ones!  The Ashe Center offers a series of Mind-Body workshops designed to help you with the healthy transition.

Several prescription medications are also available to help normalize the balance between serotonin and cortisol.  These medications may be required, along with the health-promoting behaviors listed above, to correct underlining chemical imbalances in the brain. 

If you experience extreme feelings of sadness or anxiety, difficulty sleeping, or change in appetite, talk to a clinician at the Ashe Center or a counselor at Student Psychological Services.  There are counseling services and medications available to help.

Emotional Eating (or Not Eating)

Throughout our life, we are conditioned to turn to food for security, comfort, and pleasure.  As babies, the most powerful comforter when we were distressed was our mother’s milk. As toddlers, we were offered cookies and milk when we fell in the playground and got hurt.  Throughout our school years, we were rewarded with sweet treats when we brought home good grades and punished for bad behavior by being sent to our rooms without dessert.  It’s little wonder that as college students, food becomes a tranquilizer when we’re anxious and stressed out, a mood elevator when we’re depressed, a comforter when we’re lonely, a reward when we’ve had a hard day, and an entertainer when we are bored.  We learn to cope with uncomfortable feelings by stuffing them all down with food.  Just like cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs, food becomes a temporary relief or escape.

In other situations, people learn to suppress uncomfortable feelings by focusing intently on their body weight and size.  These are much “safer” issues.  People often complain, “I feel so fat!”  But, since when is fat a feeling?  You don’t feel blonde or brunette; how can you feel fat?  What are you really feeling when you feel “fat.”  Are you feeling inadequate, insecure, sad, overwhelmed, abandoned?  By becoming so absorbed in counting calories and worrying about weight, people can avoid thinking about these more painful and more difficult feelings.

Psychological Issues

Control

In some cases, eating disorders can be rooted in past traumas.  That is, sometimes eating disorders can develop, in part, from an attempt to manage difficult feelings around experiences from a person’s past.  For example, imagine growing up with an alcoholic parent(s).  In this case, no matter what the child does or how hard he tries, he cannot control or predict his world.  Or suppose the child was sexually abused or raped as an adult.  Violated and hurt, this person might seek an area of life that she can control: her diet and weight.  In other cases, individuals with eating disorders may have had or perceived their parents to be very controlling in their lives.  Again, eating patterns and restrictive behaviors are an area over which the parents cannot force them to conform, giving them some sense of control over their lives.

Fear

In cases of sexual abuse, disordered eating may serve as a protective shield from further abuse or attack.  For instance, in anorexia nervosa, self-starvation may be a way for a young person to delay puberty and prevent developing an adult body (which may be the target of further sexual abuse).  In binge eating disorder, overeating and being obese may be a way for a person to feel less attractive, less desirable, and more invisible (so future attacks are less likely to occur).

Sexual and Cultural Identity

Sometimes, disordered eating develops as a response to internal conflict with one’s sexual identity or cultural identity.  For instance, a homosexual young man, who was constantly teased as a boy for his sexual orientation, may feel that his masculinity is threatened.  He may become obsessed with building a muscular, “manly” body (a common feature of muscle dysmorphia) in an effort to restore feelings of masculinity (power and strength). 

Similarly, an African American young woman may find it difficult to hold onto her “body pride” as she moves from the black culture (which has strong ethnic identity and larger body ideals) into the white culture (which has very thin body ideals).  Initially, she may feel great pressure to “fit in;” and as a result, she may reject herself, her larger body type, and her traditional cultural foods and become extremely restrictive in her eating.  With time, she may feel ambivalence between wanting to hold onto her cultural roots and wanting to “fit in;” and this can result in bingeing and purging.  Later, she may completely reject the white culture and all its dieting nonsense, and turn to compulsive overeating. 

Chronic Dieting 

Ancel Keys conducted a classic study on the effects of semi-starvation on prisoners of war.  He found that semi-starvation (like dieting/restrictive eating) causes several physical, emotional, and behavioral effects, which are classically seen in people suffering from eating disorders.

·        Decreased basal metabolic rate by 40% (in order to survive during periods of low calorie intake).

·        Feelings of anxiety, depression, dizziness, and weakness (as a result of semi-starvation).

·        Food preoccupation (e.g. collection of recipes, cookbooks, and menus and constantly thinking and dreaming about food).

·        Out-of-control binge eating (to the point of feeling bloated and uncomfortable) when they were finally given their daily food ration.

·        Feelings of embarrassment and guilt about their supposed “overeating” episodes.

·        Self-induced vomitting (in some) to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling.

Isn’t it ironic that today there are more diet books, diet foods, diet supplements, and diet products than ever before, and today people are more worried about their weight and size than ever before.  Yet, today the rates of obesity are higher then ever.  In fact, obesity has increased a shocking 60% over the past 2 decades!!!  And, eating disorders are just as prevalent as ever.  There seems to be a direct association between “dieting” and gaining MORE weight and developing more disordered eating patterns.  Click here to learn more about the effects of restrictive eating and why diets don’t work.

Continuum of Eating & Body Image Concerns

Click here to see where you fit?

This Continuum shows how eating behavior, attitudes towards food, and body image function on a continuum from “Food is not an issue” to “Eating disorders.” People can move into and out of each subcategory on the continuum during their lifetime.

Most people function in the “Concerned in a Healthy Way” category.  This is the goal!  However there is a tendency for adolescents and young adults to slide into the “Food Preoccupied/Obsessed” and “Body Preoccupied/Obsessed” categories during the college years.  This tendency may be related to a student's emotional and developmental stage of life, when she's struggling to establish her personal and professional identity and desperately wants to fit in.  Or, it could be related to his new freedom in college of making his own food choices for the first time.  Or it could be associated with the new stresses and pressures of the college environment.  Not only is there extreme academic competition, but there is also the stress of a new living situation...one that is often uncomfortably too close to other young men and women who may not have the best relationships with food or their bodies.

No matter where you fit on the continuum there are resources on campus that can help you improve (or maintain) your eating behaviors, exercise patterns, and body image.

Anorexia, Bulimia, & Binge Eating Disorders

Definitions, Warning Signs, & Complications

While many students struggle with disordered eating behaviors, a small percent go on to develop full-blown eating disorders:  anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.  Read on to learn more about these clinically-defined eating disorders, along with a related condition termed “muscle dysmorphia.”

Anorexia Nervosa

What is it?

·        Self-imposed starvation due to intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat.

·        Person is very underweight (at least 15% below his/her healthy body weight or Body Mass Index <17.5).

·        Very distorted body image.  Person thinks he/she’s fat despite being very underweight.

·        In women, amenorrhea (loss of > 3 consecutive menstrual periods).

NOTE: 

·        Age of onset:  Usually early or late adolescence (13-18 years of age).

·        90-95% of cases are women, 5-10% are men.

·        Prevalence = 1% of adolescent and young women.

Signs:

Physical:

·        very thin, often to the point of emaciation

·        dry skin and hair

·        growth of fine body hair, noticeable on face and arms

·        cold hands and feet and extreme sensitivity to cold temperature

·        general weakness, but seemingly hyperactive

·        lightheadedness

·        low blood pressure and heart rate

·        constipation and digestive problems

·        In women: loss of menstrual periods

Behavioral:

·        rigid, restricted eating patterns (i.e. no fat or high calorie foods allowed, strict adherence to certain number of calories per day, often vegetarian)

·        food rituals, such as cutting food into small pieces and playing with it

·        avoidance of social situations involving food; avoidance of eating in public

·        excessive, compulsive exercise

·        excessive, compulsive working or studying

·        checking weight frequently (often many times a day)

·        comments about how fat they are

·        wearing sweaters and baggy clothes to hide thinness

·        inability to concentrate

·        isolation from family and friends

·        high emotions:  tearful, uptight, overly sensitive

Muscle Dysmorphia (or Bigorexia)

What is it?

·        Preoccupation with the idea that one’s body is not sufficiently lean and muscular. 

·        Compulsive need to maintain a strict exercise, diet, and/or supplement schedule (often despite knowledge of adverse effects).

·        The preoccupation and compulsion cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

NOTE: 

·        Prevalence unknown. 

·        In one survey of men from gyms in the Boston and Los Angeles area, 10% of men displayed prominent symptoms of “bigorexia.”

Behavioral Signs:

·        gives up social opportunities, misses school, or takes excessive time off from work due to need to work out

·        follows special diets, such as very high protein or very low fat

·        spends a lot of money on dietary supplements and/or drugs advertised to boost muscularity

·        turns down invitations to go to restaurants, parties, or dinners because of special dietary requirements

·        avoids situations where people might see their bodies, such as beaches, swimming pools, locker rooms, and public showers

·        wears baggy clothes to cover up their bodies and/or deliberately chooses clothes that make them look more muscular

·        frequently measures body, such a using a tape measure to check the size of their waist, chest, or biceps

·        continues to work out even when they have an injury

·        frequently compares their muscularity with others

Bulimia Nervosa

What is it?

·        Recurrent episodes of binge eating and purging (at least 2 times per week).

·        During a binge, person uncontrollably consumes a very large number of calories (typically 1500-3000 calories) in a short period of time (less than one hour).

·        This results in feelings of guilt, disgust, and fear.

·        So person resorts to any number of methods in an effort to get rid of all those calories:  vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, fasting, excessive exercise.

NOTE: 

·        Age of onset:  Usually mid adolescence to late 20s.

·        About 90% of cases are women, 10% are men.

·        Prevalence:  5% of college age women.

Signs:

Physical:

·        average or above average weight

·        weakness, headaches, dizziness

·        frequent weight fluctuations due to alternating binges and fasts

·        difficulty swallowing, damage to throat

·        swollen glands that give chipmunk appearance

·        red, puffy, bloodshot eyes (especially after vomiting)

·        dental caries and damaged tooth enamel

·        scabs on knuckles from self-induced vomiting

·        In women: loss of menstrual periods

Behavioral:

·        strange behavior that surrounds secretive eating

·        refusal to eat with friends

·        disappearance after meals, often to the bathroom, and hear running water

·        ability to eat enormous amounts of food without weight gain

·        compulsive exercise beyond normal training

·        depression

Binge Eating Disorder

What is it?

·        Recurrent episodes of binge eating (at least 2 times per week), but no purging.

·        This results in feelings of guilt, disgust, depression, and extreme distress.

·        While there is no purging, there may be sporadic fasts or repetitive diets.

NOTE:

·        Up to 40% of obese people may suffer from this.

·        65% are women and 35% are men.

·        Prevalence = About 3% of men and women.

Health Consequences

The physical and emotional consequences of eating disorders can be severe.  In fact, the mortality rate for anorexia and bulimia has been estimated to be as high as 18-20%, with many deaths caused by suicide.  Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any other psychiatric disorder.  Below are some of the negative health effects associated with eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors:

·        Malnutrition, dehydration, and specific nutrient deficiencies (from overly restrictive diets). 

·        Weakened immune system and more frequently sick.

·        Drop in sex hormones, which may result in infertility, menstrual dysfunction ( in women), bone loss (osteoporosis), and higher incidence of stress fractures.

·        Complications of laxative abuse:     

-         Dehydration.  Laxatives act on the large intestine and cause increased water weight loss through more frequent/watery bowel movements; NO fat loss!  (At most, 12% reduction in calories consumed.  Most calories are already absorbed by the time they reach the large intestine.)

-         Constipation / diarrhea.  Inability to regulate bowels on own.

·        Complications of diuretic abuse:

-         Dehydration.  Diuretics act on the kidneys and cause increased water weight loss through urination; NO fat loss!

-         Electrolyte imbalances.  (Low blood potassium levels can lead to an irregular heart beat and death.)

·        Complications of self-induced vomiting:

-         Dehydration.  No fat loss!  (An after-binge vomiting episode retains approximately 1200 of the calories consumed.)

-         Acid/base and electrolyte imbalances.  (Can be fatal.)

-         Inflamed/torn esophagus, stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding

-         Severe dental decay (from the stomach acid that comes up and rots teeth).

·        Complications of restrictive eating and dieting:

-         Constipation, lightheadedness, fatigue, and depression.

-         Loss of natural mechanisms for determining hunger and fullness.

-         Loss of lean body mass vs. fat tissue. 

-         Reduction in metabolic rate.     

-         Increased risk for binge eating.

-         Increased risk of regaining weight rapidly (in the form of fat).

·        Complications of binge eating and excessive weight gain:

-         High blood pressure, heart disease, and gall bladder disease.

-         Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

-         Joint problems and osteoarthritis.

·        Complications of Steroid Use

Psychiatric effects: 

-         Dangerous irritability and aggression; can lead to violent crimes and even physical abuse of loved ones (“roid rage”) while taking them.

-         Severe episodes of depression during withdrawal.

Medical effects:

-         Decreased “good” and increased “bad” cholesterol levels; increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and possibly prostate cancer.

-         If using injectibles, increased risk of AIDS, hepatitis B and C, as well as local infections.

-         In men: acne, hair loss, gynecomastia (growth of breast tissue), testicle shrinkage.

-         In women:  acne, deepened voice and other masculine effects.

How to Help Yourself

Admit           

to yourself that you have a problem and need help.  You don't have to figure out everything by yourself.

Tell              

someone about your problem and ask for help, i.e. a friend, family member, health professional, or person with similar problem.

Learn          

·        that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

·        about the causes and effects of poor body image and disordered eating.

·        about your triggers to binge, starve, or otherwise abuse food or exercise.

·        to love your body:

·        Discover what is a healthy weight for you.

·        Realize that health, fitness, success, beauty, and happiness come in all shapes and sizes!

·        to nurture your inner self:

·        Recognize your feelings and emotional needs, and be open about them to yourself and others.

·        Quiet your mind through relaxation, meditation, and movement.

·        to fuel your body:

·        Listen to and honor your body’s internal signals for hunger and fullness.

·        Understand the basics of good nutrition and how to plan, prepare, and enjoy healthy, well-balanced meals and snacks. 

Change       

·        Consider seeking professional help.  Free, confidential counseling is available at Student Psychological Services and the Center for Women & Men.  Free nutrition education and medical care is available at the Ashe Center.

·        Consider joining a self-help group.

·        Accept that setbacks are part of progress -- they are opportunities to learn more about your eating habits and how you can improve them. 

·        Be patient and stick with it -- recovery takes time but it is well worth it.

Live

·        Participate in activities you enjoy.

·        Find fulfillment in everyday life.

·        Be receptive to the opportunities life offers.

·        Laugh, play, work, strive for balance.

·        Be an advocate for change in the media and the culture at large.  Do not tolerate the negative body talk of friends around you.  Promote positive body talk.

How to help a friend?

DO

·        Learn about eating disorders so that you will know the signs.

·        Become aware of on campus resources available.

·        Talk to your friend in a confidential, calm, and caring way.

·        Be specific about what you see, and use “I” statements to share your concerns.  (“I’m concerned about you because you refuse to eat breakfast and lunch and keep saying you’re light-headed.”)

·        Focus on your concerns about your friend’s health and well-being, not on her weight or appearance.  (“I’ve noticed that you are tired and sad all the time and haven’t been eating much.”)

·        Explain how the problem is affecting you and your relationship.  (“It makes me afraid to hear you vomiting.”  “It’s hard to be your friend when you’re always worrying about your weight/diet.”)

·        Share your own struggles with him; be open and real.

·        Give her hope that with help and patience she can be free from this disorder and be happy.

·        Offer a written list of professional resources for help.

·        Be supportive and available when he needs someone.  Listen with understanding, respect, and sensitivity.

·        Expect denial.  People with eating disorders often insist that they do not need help.  By sharing your concern, you are planting a seed, which may help the person come to you later.

·        Know your limits. You cannot force someone to change her behavior or to seek help.  Talk to a professional about your concerns.

·        Be an advocate of change in the media and the culture at large.  Do not tolerate the negative body talk of friends around you.  Promote positive body talk.

DON’T

·        Take any action alone.  You should get help.

·        Try to solve his problem for him.  Your friend needs a qualified person.

·        Be afraid to upset her.  You should talk with her.

·        Blame him for doing something wrong or tell him that he is acting crazy.

·        Give her simple solutions. (“If you’d just stop this ridiculous behavior, everything would be fine!)

·        Gossip about him.

·        Follow her around to check her eating and purging behaviors.  This can make her feel resentful or powerless and actually slow the recovery process.

·        Reject or ignore him.  He needs you.

·        Be deceived by her excuses.

How to Promote a Healthy Campus Culture

If you are in a leadership position on campus, you have a unique opportunity to help other students eat well, be active, and feel good about their bodies.  Through programs or outreach events, individual peer interactions, group meetings, written materials, and role modeling, you can help deliver positive messages about food, eating, exercise, stress management, and body talk.  Even if you’re not in a leadership position, what you do and what you say around your friends and peers can have a powerful impact on how they relate to food and their bodies.

To help promote a healthy campus culture and reduce the negative impact of eating disorders, disordered eating, obesity, and size prejudice, try to communicate the key messages below.  In addition, consider getting involved in SNAC (UCLA’s Student Nutrition & body image Action Committee) or using some of the programming ideas and resources (below) with your own student group.

Key Messages:

·        Healthy, fit, and attractive Bruins come in all shapes and sizes.  Challenge size prejudice.

·        Food is fuel for optimal mental and physical performance.  Take time to eat at regular times, typically three meals and snacks every day. 

·        Respond to your body’s internal signals of hunger and fullness—eat when you are physically hungry and stop when you are physically full.  Express feelings and satisfy non-hunger cues to eat without food.

·        Realize that there are no "good" or "bad" foods.  Only "good" or "bad" diets.  All foods can fit into a balanced, healthy eating plan.

·        Live actively, in your own way, each day.  Focus on the pleasure of movement and its health and energy benefits. 

·        Don't overdo it.  Too much exercise, like too much of anything, can hurt rather than improve your health and performance.

·        Moderate, fun physical activity can fit into busy college life.

·        Take 10-15 minutes in your busy day, each day, to relax and relieve stress.

·        Use positive self-talk to increase self-respect, esteem, and acceptance.

Time for a SNAC!

Join other students in planning campus-wide activities:

·        Bruins Aiming Towards Healthy Lifestyles - web site campaign

·        International No Dieting Day – annual outreach event

·        SNAC Best Bites – annual campus food & fitness report

Other Programming Ideas & Resources

Active Programs

·        "Slim Hopes" video screening & discussion

Contact Karen Minero at the Center for Women & Men to borrow this award-winning video.

·        Residential dining hall tours

Contact Joanne McGill to schedule a tour date.

·        Fitness socials & study breaks

Contact Elisa Terry for ideas and a list of potential student fitness instructors.