According to the National Eating Disorders Association’s Web site, 11 million men and women in the United States are fighting the battle against eating disorders.
Eating disorders’ prevalence trumps that of Alzheimer’s disease by more than five million people, but it receives 75 percent less funding for research.
For every $159 spent on Alzheimer’s disease research per affected individual, there is only $1.20 spent on eating disorder research per affected individual, according to the Web site.
But there is hope.
Auburn University is gearing up for Eating Disorder Awareness Week and is offering a host of events.
AUBIE EDA, Auburn University Body Image Education and Eating Disorders Awareness, has a week of events planned to help strip the campus of body image problems and bring awareness to the campus about eating disorders.
Alan Duffy, a graduate student in kinesiology and founder of AUBIE EDA, saw a need for a program that dealt with heightening eating disorder awareness and strengthening students’ body images when he came to Auburn University.
He had been involved in a similar program on the campus of the University of Georgia called F.L.Y.
“I saw a need for it at Auburn and the opportunities to make a bigger program at Auburn,” Duffy said.
Starting Feb. 23, a week of scheduled events for Auburn’s campus will kick off with an “All Auburn, All Beautiful” photo exhibition in Foy that will be available all week long.
“The exhibition includes photos of girls of many different ethnicities, shapes and sizes to emphasize that everyone is beautiful in their own way,” said Brittani Berbette, a sophomore in psychology and president of AUBIE EDA.
On the following Monday, the Skinny Jeans Drive, which will continue until Thursday, will begin on the concourse.
New York Times bestselling author Aimee Liuwill will give a lecture at 6:30 p.m. in Haley Center on Monday about her book, “Gaining: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders.”
Tuesday, the body drawings on the concourse will begin, which will allow students to draw their body shapes and emphasize that all shapes and sizes are beautiful.
Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., there will be a candlelight vigil at Toomer’s Corner for those who have lost the battle against eating disorders.
Following the candlelight vigil, a lecture on the facts about eating disorders will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Broun Hall.
Wednesday at 7 p.m. there will be a screening of “Bridget Jones Diary.”
A panel discussion will follow in Spidle Hall. Food will be provided.
Friday, the week’s events will come to a close with a movie screening of “The Devil Wears Prada” at 6 p.m. in Dudley Hall.
AUBIE EDA plans to continue events after Eating Disorder Awareness Week to promote a good body image not only for people at Auburn University, but elsewhere as well.
“There isn’t really anybody in the state doing any of this work,” Duffy said. “We want to help people in the community as well as people on campus.”
AUBIE EDA is not the only group on campus doing something to fight against eating disorders and negative body images.
Auburn University Student Counseling Services is also holding a screening day in March.
Doug Hankes, director of student counseling services, recognizes the need and he hopes to give students a chance to come in and evaluate their eating habits.
Through the evaluation they can decide if they have a problem that needs to be addressed.
Hankes, who is a licensed clinical psychologist, said there are many factors that contribute to eating disorders.
Many of those issues many students face daily, including family issues, societal issues and control issues.
“Sometimes it is a response to people feeling like their life is out of control so the controlling of the food makes them feel like they have a little more control in their life,” Hankes said.
Hankes did note, though, that usually it is a variety of issues surrounding the cause for an eating disorder.
College age students are among the most susceptible to have an eating disorder, according to the NEDA Web site.
“I think what makes college age more susceptible is because some people don’t react well to change,” said Natalie Heidelberg, a third year doctoral student in clinical psychology.
If you suspect a friend has an eating disorder, there are some common signals.
Common signs can be found on the NEDA Web site at www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
It is best to try to convince friends with eating disorders to seek help.
A recommendation to visit student counseling services is also a good idea.
Whatever the route to get help, the possibility of an eating disorder in a friend is not something that you should have to handle alone.
“The friend shouldn’t walk around feeling like they have to do this on their own,” Hankes said. “They should involve other people.”
For more information, check out www.auburn.edu/aubieeda
