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Eating Disorders In College

By Mary Anne Knapp, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker for the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services

Note: Following are excerpts from the full article Eating Disorders In College. To view or print the complete article in PDF format, follow this link.

February 22nd to 29th is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Therefore, it is particularly important to take time to consider the impact of eating disorders – especially on Penn State students.

The Extent of the Problem

The culture of thinness and fat phobia combined with the explosion of foods, the complexity of life issues, and the intensity of developmental tasks make eating disorders and “body battling” a serious problem on college campuses.

“In the United States, conservative estimates indicate that after puberty, 5-10% of girls and women (that translates to 5-10 million girls and women) and 1 million boys and men are struggling with eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder or borderline conditions (Crowther et al, 1992; Fairburn et al., 1993; Gordon, 1990; Hoek, 1995; Shisslak et al., l995).*

Those with eating disorders share a sense of fear and terror of food and weight gain and often experience a sense of loss of control. They feel self critical or obsessive and have a conditional or negative sense of self. Behaviorally, they use food in unhealthy ways (either starving and restricting or bingeing). Because of the secretive nature and shame associated with eating disorders, many cases go unreported. In addition many people struggle with body dissatisfaction and sub-clinical eating disorder attitudes and behaviors. For example, 80% of American women are dissatisfied with their appearance (Smolak, 1996).” *Taken from Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention materials.

If we apply national figures to Penn State’s population, easily 1,000–2,000 Penn State women and 50–200 men have full blown eating disorders while countless more have borderline or subclinical levels of eating disorders. According to national statistics approximately 16,000 Penn State women will experience body discomfort and lowered self-esteem. In a Penn State Pulse random survey of the student body, conducted by Student Affairs Research and Assessment during Spring semester of 2001, 34% of students said that they had a close friend or family member with an eating disorder and 16% said they had witnessed another student struggling with eating disorders.

What to Do if You’re Concerned About a Student

1) Set aside a time to talk privately and respectfully about your concerns in a caring and straightforward way. Try to pick a time when you won’t be distracted or pressured for time.
2) Listen closely. Encourage your student to talk about the struggles they are experiencing adjusting to college or feeling good about themselves. Even though students might not feel comfortable talking about their eating disorder behaviors, they may be able to share their anxieties about doing well or their recent discouragements.
3) Communicate your concerns with behavioral examples and in a non judgmental way. Avoid placing shame, blame, or guilt for the student’s actions or attitudes. This will only cause the student to clam up.
4) Explain that you think these things may indicate a need for professional help.
Offer to find out about services on campus and support your student by helping them to make an appointment and explore insurance coverage for private treatment. Offer to accompany them if it seems like this will help them get started in treatment.
5) Get help and support for yourself if you are struggling about how to proceed or find that you’re worried. Consider reading self help books such as Surviving an Eating Disorder: New Perspectives and Strategies for Family and Friends by Michele Siegel, Judith Brisman and Margot Weinshel.

Also see these topics included in the complete article: Who Is At Risk for Developing Eating Disorders; How Do Eating Disorders Start and Develop?; What Does Penn State Have to Offer?

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