PUC Chronicle

Issue date: 3/5/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Bradley Ehrhardt

Between five and 10 percent of post-pubescent girls and women have an eating disorder. 85 percent of adult women wake up every day ready to "do battle" with their weight. $35 million is spent on diet products each year. All this information and more was found at the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week table sponsored by the Counseling Center last week.
The table, in SUL on Monday and Tuesday and in CLO on Wednesday and Thursday, was intended to raise the awareness of eating disorders on campus.
"Eating disorders are still a problem, they haven't gone away," said Jeff Stewart, a graduate aid in the Counseling Center.
Last week was National Eating Disorders Awareness Week and events were held all over the country to raise awareness.
In addition to information on eating disorders and the Counseling Center itself, there was also a free screening available. If a student was screened and showed signs of having an eating disorder, a counselor would see what the student wants to do about it. The counselor could refer the student to a clinic to be counseled or set them up to be counseled at the Counseling Center.
Counseling at the Center is free and there is no set number of sessions, according to Stewart. Some students are done in as little as five sessions, while some have many more.
Eating disorders are not seen as often as depressive symptoms and anxiety, Stewart said.
There are three major types of eating disorders. Anorexia is self-starvation in order to lose weight. Bulimia involves cycles of binging (overeating) and purging (vomiting, using laxatives or over-exercising.) Binge eating and compulsive overeating are eating large amounts of food in a short period of time.
The vast majority of those who suffer from eating disorders are women. Around 10 percent are males.
Signs of eating disorders are different, said Stewart. Those suffering from anorexia often nibble at meals for 30 minutes or more or drastically cut their food intake to one small meal or less.
Those suffering from bulimia often have scratches on their hands from they get when they induce vomiting. They may also have tooth decay.

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