By Courtney Joyner SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
“Ninety-five percent of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25,” according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. In an effort to create a discus-
sion among students and those affected by the disorders, Hofstra University set up an information table in the Student Center on Thursday, Feb. 25 as a part of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.
Staff psychologist Dr. Daniel Rinaldi explained how the table was set up to facilitate conversation.
“We just kind of put literature out on the table along with some food and we try to encourage stu- dents to come over and take our very brief survey. When they do that they can get feedback about their mental health and also about their eating habits and pat- terns. And if they score high on it we can actually go to a private room that’s confidential and we can debrief a little bit. Sometimes that results in them coming and seeing us for individual counsel- ing or group counseling and it sometimes just ends up being informational and they go on their way.”
They hope that the free screen- ing will give students a chance to be more informed about things they may struggle with.
“Sometimes students will say ‘I’m not quite sure if I’m strug- gling with the issue,’” Dr. Merry
Mcvey-Noble said. “Providing this anonymous free screening that’s also confidential helps them really identify if they are actually struggling with the issue that they thought they might be.”
While the screening can be beneficial to students who may discover that they are in need of counseling, there are also those who show no signs of needing counseling at all. However, their participation is just as beneficial.
“Some students who have
no issues with particular eating disorders are filling it out and that helps us collect data on college students,” Dr. Mcvey-Noble said.
Ana Baxter, a freshman unde- cided communications major, said, “It’s beneficial to students who went up to the table because even if they didn’t have an eating disorder it still raised awareness.”
They also hope to draw atten- tion from a more diverse crowd, Dr. Rinaldi explained. “I think people have the perception that eating disorders belong in one particular cohort, like one type
of person ends up having eating disorders and they look a certain way and they act a certain way and that’s really not the case.
It can span a broad spectrum.” These are preconceptions they hope to change by raising awareness.
Part of what they hope to accomplish is to educate students about eating habits that may not seem unhealthy, but are.
Dr. Mcvey-Noble said, “People might be thinking, ‘I can only eat foods that are healthy for me.’ They might start engaging in dichotomous thinking about food instead of thinking about what is healthy. [The habit] begins to get more and more rigid, and of course we want people to eat in a way that is healthful for them but that definition of healthy might get more and more rigid.”
She explains what a healthy relationship with food entails, stating, “I mean food is food, it fuels us and you need to learn to be able to be flexible about it and to enjoy it and to not put ourselves down if we eat some- thing that isn’t perfectly healthy. Even this notion that there are clean foods and other foods are dirty, just that thought of dichoto- mous thinking about food for some people can become a very unhealthy obsession.”
She hopes that through this event students will understand more about eating disorders.
Dr. Mcvey-Noble said, “We want people to be aware of mental health issues and how it can impact their lives. We want them to know that there is help available on campus and that their campus cares about them.”
Dr. Dodie Gillett explained the effects that eating disorders not only have on those who have them but also on the loved ones of those who are affected.
“Eating disorders can be debilitating to the individual and frustrating and confusing to loved ones. There are significant health risks associated with eating disorders ranging from loss of hair, dry skin and fainting spells, and in extreme cases, to sudden and fatal organ failure. Eating
disorders also take a toll on one’s emotional and cognitive function- ing including increased sense of hopelessness, guilt, depression, difficulty with memory, concentra- tion and sleep. The best course of action for a loved one or the individual struggling is to seek the appropriate treatment to address all facets of the eating disorder and move toward recovery,” Dr. Gillett said.
Freshman radio, television and film major Maranda Rausch learned more about the disorder from the event.
“The event made me realize that there is a lot more to eating disorders than what they teach in health class,” Rausch said.
She continued to call the com- munity to action saying, “It is our responsibility to look out for each other and help those who may be struggling with an eating disorder. We cannot tell if someone has an eating disorder simply by their appearance. Eating disorders affect both males and females and may include a range of unhealthy behaviors.”
She encourages students to look out for one another and to take advantage of the resources offered here on campus. “If
you notice a friend or loved one engaging in harmful eating behaviors, sharing your observations and encouraging the individual to seek appropriate support is a useful approach. Student Counseling Services is available to answer any questions and assist students seeking help with eating or body image concerns.”
