Spring Break
Program raises awareness of eating disorders
Randi Crowder
Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: ARTS
Common myths that eating disorders affect only women and they are solely about physical appearance are incorrect, said Nikel Rogers, graduate student and housing counselor at Counseling and Testing Services.
NT's Women's Center and counseling services hosted a program Monday night called "Be Comfortable in Your Own Genes" in honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, this week focuses on being comfortable with one's body shape and size.
More than 11 million people in the United States have an eating disorder, according to the association.
The association defines an eating disorder as a serious emotional and physical problem that can cause life-threatening consequences.
At the program, Rogers discussed eating disorders, common myths about them and how someone can get help.
Rogers said eating disorders affect both men and women and involve complex emotions that can lead those affected by them into a downward spiral.
Research suggests that 20 percent of college women have diagnosable eating disorders, while 60 percent have sub-clinical levels of a disorder, Rogers said.
The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and the binge-eating disorder, according to the association.
Anorexia is self-starvation. Bulimia is the cycle of eating large amounts of food and causing self-induced vomiting, while the binge-eating disorder is described as binge-eating causing a feeling of being out of control and ashamed, according to the association.
Rogers expressed the importance of body activism. She defined body activism as "reminding yourself that your physical appearance is not all there is to you."
When people deprive their bodies of nutrients, they also deprive their brain of nutrients, Rogers said. She also said this can hold them back from living up to their life's full potential.
"You're not going to be that 'photograph' people see," Rogers said. "You'll be damaged in so many other ways."
NT's Women's Center and counseling services hosted a program Monday night called "Be Comfortable in Your Own Genes" in honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, this week focuses on being comfortable with one's body shape and size.
More than 11 million people in the United States have an eating disorder, according to the association.
The association defines an eating disorder as a serious emotional and physical problem that can cause life-threatening consequences.
At the program, Rogers discussed eating disorders, common myths about them and how someone can get help.
Rogers said eating disorders affect both men and women and involve complex emotions that can lead those affected by them into a downward spiral.
Research suggests that 20 percent of college women have diagnosable eating disorders, while 60 percent have sub-clinical levels of a disorder, Rogers said.
The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and the binge-eating disorder, according to the association.
Anorexia is self-starvation. Bulimia is the cycle of eating large amounts of food and causing self-induced vomiting, while the binge-eating disorder is described as binge-eating causing a feeling of being out of control and ashamed, according to the association.
Rogers expressed the importance of body activism. She defined body activism as "reminding yourself that your physical appearance is not all there is to you."
When people deprive their bodies of nutrients, they also deprive their brain of nutrients, Rogers said. She also said this can hold them back from living up to their life's full potential.
"You're not going to be that 'photograph' people see," Rogers said. "You'll be damaged in so many other ways."
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