Mind over body

Ten million Americans have an eating disorder, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and college students are among the most prevalent demographics to develop one.

On Thursday, Feb. 28, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will be sponsoring the Mind and Body Fair to promote positive body image as part of the Eating Disorder Awareness Week (Feb. 24 to March 1).

CAPS counselor Melina Ovnicek specializes in eating disorders and is in charge of the event. She said it's important to notify students of the dangers of eating disorders.

"It's the deadliest psychological disorder there is," she said. "There's a lot of disorders and this one actually kills people if it's gone untreated."

There are three types of eating disorders. First is anorexia (extreme calorie restriction); second is bulimia (extreme calorie intake and then purging by vomiting, laxatives or excessive exercising); third is binge eating disorder (extreme calorie intake and no purging).

Ovnicek said eating disorders develop at an early age with body dissatisfaction. "Some of the things that we know is that generally it starts with weight concerns," she said. "That's what most people will say, but we believe that it really has its foundation in healthy coping response.

"It's a person's attempt to try to control their world when they feel like things are out of control."

Although disorders favor no one in particular, there are certain groups of people who are more at risk, such as perfectionists, those who have negative body images and those who are affected genetically.

In addition, there are factors that influence eating disorders, the largest being media, along with pressure from critical family members and what Ovnicek calls "thin sports."

These include wrestling, gymnastics, track, body building, rowing, jockeying, dancing and swimming, all of which emphasize weight.

"It puts more pressure on someone engaging in those sports to try to be thin," said Ovnicek, "and the studies show that a big portion of them, if they don't have eating disorders, they do engage in disordered eating."

Disordered eating, according to NEDA, is when a person's health and well-being is in jeopardy due to their attitudes toward food and weight.

Ovnicek said a large portion of college students probably have disordered eating that could be from stress.

"You've got a young population that is going through major adjustments and transitions in their life," she said.

As part of a new movement to promote healthy body image in college, Experience Project, an online support center, is sponsoring a campaign called "More to Me," the first online petition to support funds for body image programs in schools.

"We believe teaching girls and boys how to appreciate themselves at a young age will decrease the shocking statistics around eating disorders and body dissatisfaction," said Program Manager Sarah Silverman in an e-mail. The Web site is www.moretome.org.

In addition, Eastern students are encouraged to visit a counselor at the CAPS office in Martin 225 if they have questions or concerns as well as attend the Mind and Body Fair in the PUB Multi-Purpose room from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be information booths, presentations, body mapping and prize drawings among other activities.