2008 Woodie Awards
Dying to be Thin: Eating disorders exposed
By: Kristin Riegel, Features Editor
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Features
In addition to dispelling the stigmas associated with eating disorders, Daugherty hopes that this event will serve as a springboard for further conversation about body image concerns and eating disorders at Macalester.
"We are actually hoping to use this [week of events] as a starting point to continue dialogue," said Daugherty. "We are hoping to partner with Winton and start a support group for people who have or are suffering from an eating disorder so it's not so scary and they don't feel alone."
Despite eating disorders being historically viewed as an illness that affects mainly females, Professor Strauss states that men are increasingly experiencing eating disorders.
"There has been a huge increase in the way men's bodies have been put on display," said Strauss, citing a study that found that the physiques of action figures such as GI Joes have become significantly more lean and muscular over the past 25 years.
From action figures to magazine covers, this increased pressure to have rock-hard abs and a sculpted chest has led to a new phenomenon-muscle belittlement, in which males don't recognize the muscle they have.
Currently, about 10 percent of patients seeking professional treatment for eating disorders are male.
No matter your age, gender, or current weight, Strauss emphasizes that eating disorders are treatable mental illnesses.
"One thing I hear from students a lot is that it's not that bad," Strauss said. "And even if you think it's not that bad it could be better. When it's not that bad is the best time to intervene."
Besides the obvious health benefits that can incur from treatment, Strauss states that getting help can be mentally liberating.
"Eating disorders erode their [students'] ability to engage in bigger and social issues," Stauss said. "Think about how much time you would have to spend with friends and get involved in things if you weren't thinking about how many crunches you had to do."
Although National Eating Disorder Awareness Week will only run from Feb. 24 to March 1, help is available all year round. For more information about the signs and symptoms of eating disorders, where you can get help, or how you can become more involved in promoting positive body images and raising awareness about eating disorders, visit: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
"We are actually hoping to use this [week of events] as a starting point to continue dialogue," said Daugherty. "We are hoping to partner with Winton and start a support group for people who have or are suffering from an eating disorder so it's not so scary and they don't feel alone."
Despite eating disorders being historically viewed as an illness that affects mainly females, Professor Strauss states that men are increasingly experiencing eating disorders.
"There has been a huge increase in the way men's bodies have been put on display," said Strauss, citing a study that found that the physiques of action figures such as GI Joes have become significantly more lean and muscular over the past 25 years.
From action figures to magazine covers, this increased pressure to have rock-hard abs and a sculpted chest has led to a new phenomenon-muscle belittlement, in which males don't recognize the muscle they have.
Currently, about 10 percent of patients seeking professional treatment for eating disorders are male.
No matter your age, gender, or current weight, Strauss emphasizes that eating disorders are treatable mental illnesses.
"One thing I hear from students a lot is that it's not that bad," Strauss said. "And even if you think it's not that bad it could be better. When it's not that bad is the best time to intervene."
Besides the obvious health benefits that can incur from treatment, Strauss states that getting help can be mentally liberating.
"Eating disorders erode their [students'] ability to engage in bigger and social issues," Stauss said. "Think about how much time you would have to spend with friends and get involved in things if you weren't thinking about how many crunches you had to do."
Although National Eating Disorder Awareness Week will only run from Feb. 24 to March 1, help is available all year round. For more information about the signs and symptoms of eating disorders, where you can get help, or how you can become more involved in promoting positive body images and raising awareness about eating disorders, visit: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
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Evelyn Daugherty
posted 2/22/08 @ 2:03 PM CST
Next week (February 24 to March 1) is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week! The working group has planned a lot of great activities and we hope you?ll be able to attend any (or all!) of them. (Continued…)
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