Campus events promote eating disorder awareness

Disordered Eating is much more than Eating Disorders, and last week a partnership between the Counseling Center and Campus Recreation tried to bring more information to the students of Eastern during National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.A major contributor to unhealthy eating behavior includes stress. "You really see those risky behaviors after the new year and before spring break. People are just busy and trying to lose weight," said Jessica Gernert, assistant director of campus recreation.

Some of the issues Gernert said arise most among students include classic eating disorders such as Anorexia, Bulimia-nervosa, and Compulsive Exercising in addition to unhealthy behaviors such as skipping meals and emotional eating. "We want all students to participate in healthy behaviors," Gernert said.

Joe Cannon, a freshman undecided major from Lexington, said he can see why freshmen, especially, might battle eating disorders.

"If you are coming to college for the first time, you are meeting new people and you worry about what you look like."

"Mirrorless Monday," which Gernert said was one of the most successful parts of the week, included covering the mirrors in the Group Fitness rooms at the Fitness and Wellness Center and the Powell bathrooms with paper. Students were encouraged to write positive affirmations on the sheets of paper, which were displayed all week.

"You can always see yourself. You are always looking at what you may not be happy with," Gernert said. "This lets people show the positive things about themselves that are qualities you may not be able to see in a mirror." More than 50 people wrote messages, ranging from humorous to inspiring. These included everything from, "I love my big feet!" to "I love my determination."

The week also included workshops at the Counseling Center and at the Fitness and Wellness Center. "The turnout was disappointing, but since is the first year we've really done this we are just going to figure out to improve for next year," said Gernert. The Counseling Center had 3 participants at its workshop while the Fitness and Wellness Center had no participants. The week also focused on the idea of "No Dieting."

"It's really all about loving your jeans genes. Just loving the way you look," Gernert said.

"We focus so much on this thin ideal, and it distorts how we see ourselves," said Kristie Kirkpatrick, who led the Counseling Center's presentation on "Love Your Body". The event discussed "The Thin Ideal" and talking about the way people feel about their bodies.

Awareness remained key throughout the week.

"I know people know it's good to eat healthy on an intellectual level. But, emotionally, they really need to connect that with the way they view their body," Kirkpatrick said. Several flyers that outline signs, reactions, and positive ways to cope with poor body image have been distributed around campus.

Most who took part in the activities throughout the week viewed the time as a learning experience.

Elly Smith, a sophomore Elementary Education major from Harrisburg said that knowing how to react is major in dealing with those that may have an eating disorder. "If you are communicating with someone, you have to be careful in how you talk. Not saying something that could hurt them," she said. "Equally, it's important for men to how to communicate with women, so they don't add to the low self-esteem."

The collaboration came out of a meeting between both groups to provide staff training to those at the Fitness and Wellness Center in how to react to those who may be exhibiting signs of disordered eating. "We just thought that we could collaborate in the future on this issue, and this week was a great catalyst," Kirkpatrick said.

"We are really looking at what worked this week and what didn't and how we can improve and reach more people for next year. When we got those papers back from Powell. it was just amazing to see how well people reacted," Kirkpatrick said, "It was very energizing. We made a difference here."

Some possible ideas for next year include keeping Mirrorless all week, and possibly expanding to the dorms and other locations around campus.

"We really care about everybody's wellness, and we want to engage them in healthy behaviors," said Gernert.

Flyers and information on signs of disordered eating and other unhealthy behaviors can be found in the Counseling Center and around campus.