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University of Wyoming

Nutrition News: Eating Disorders

The pressure to be thin is a growing concern for college students, especially for young women. The desires to develop or maintain an extremely slender physique has driven some women and men to follow unhealthy eating regimens and develop finicky eating habits. Pressure to have a specific body image, however, is not only limited to thinness; individuals also experience a pressure to maintain a "big and buff" physique. Be aware of the risks of unhealthy eating patterns that may arise if you allow the desire to be unrealistically thin to consume you. Take note of the following eating patterns and myths that may resemble your personal eating habits and beliefs.

  1. Myths

  2. Signs of Unhealthy Eating Patterns

  3. Anorexia Nervosa

  4. Bulimia Nervosa

  5. Binge Eating Disorder

  6. Getting Help With Eating Disorders

Myths

1. Never have seconds. Eat slowly and pay attention to your flavor preferences and cravings. If you're still hungry after eating one serving at a leisurely pace, second helpings are just fine.

2. Deny your cravings. Sometimes it's better to give into cravings and have a small portion of the food you desire. You can consume a lot of calories trying to eat around the one food you really want.

3. Don't eat between meals. Most people need to eat every three to four hours to maintain energy levels.

4. Fasting cleans out your system. When the body doesn't get food, ketones, a metabolite of fatty acid, build up in your system. The body can run on ketones for fuel, but the brain becomes sluggish because it needs glucose for energy. Ketones are also very irritating to the kidneys.

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Signs of Unhealthy Eating Patterns

1. You are obsessed with fat. Low fat is good--no fat is bad. In fact, fewer than 30 grams a day can lead to dry skin, hair loss, and amenorrhea (absence of menstruation). Ideally, fat should comprise 30% of caloric intake.

2. Your diet consists of meat, meat, and more meat. Eating more protein does not cause a person to gain muscle; in fact, any excess protein not used by the body will be converted to fat. High protein diets can cause dizziness, bad breath, loss of calcium, and kidney damage. In addition, most high protein diets lack fruit and vegetables; therefore, vital vitamins and minerals may be lacking when only meat, poultry, milk, and other high protein foods are consumed. Weight-loss from high protein diets comes at first from losing water because water is essential for the breakdown of protein into amino acids.

3. You avoid dairy products. Dairy products contain calcium--and essential nutrient needed to prevent the development of osteoporosis. Women who don't get adequate calcium (at least 1000 mg) put themselves at risk for developing osteoporosis. Instead of eliminating dairy products from your diet, try skim milk, or low-fat cheese and yogurt.
Don't try to strive for a body image that is unrealistic and potentially unhealthy. Did you know that the average women is 5'4" and weighs 138 pounds, while the average woman model is 5'8" to 5'11" and weighs 120 pounds? Try not to develop finicky eating habits at a young age--they may affect you for the rest of your life.
These unhealthy eating habits may be signs of an eating disorder being developed. There are three main classes of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating. Below is a definition of each eating disorder, and what to do if you think they do have the disorder.

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Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by refusal to maintain a minimally accepted body weight, intense fear of weight gain, and distorted body image. Inadequate calorie intake or excessive energy expenditure results in severe weight loss. Symptoms of an individual suffering from anorexia include but are not limited to noticeable weight loss, excessive exercise, fatigue, obsession with food, guilt or shame about eating or being around food, irregular or loss of menstruation, wearing baggy clothes to hide weight loss, pale complexion, lanugo (fine downy hair on body), hair loss, and bouts of insomnia.

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Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is an illness characterized by uncontrolled episodes of overeating usually followed by self-induced vomiting or other purging such as laxative use. Symptoms of an individual suffering from bulimia nervosa include but are not limited to bathroom visits after eating, vomiting, laxative use, weight fluctuations (10-15 lbs), swollen glands, broken blood vessels, tooth decay, abrasions of the back of hands or knuckles, constant complaint of sore throat, and many of the symptoms explained for anorexia nervosa.

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Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder is characterized by consuming large quantities of food in a very short period of time usually to the point that the individual is uncomfortably full. Binge eating is similar to bulimia except there is no purging. Individuals with binge eating disorder will show symptoms such as weight gain, low self esteem, depression, anxiety, hiding food, going on many different diets, secretive eating patterns, and suicidal thoughts.
The best thing that you can do for someone you think may be dealing with one of these disorders is to get them professional help. When confronting them try not to be judgmental about the problem. Explain to them that you really care about them and want them to seek help for the problem. Many times they may be outraged that you have found out and may not even believe they have the problem. Allow them time to think about the problem and don't try to out will them right off the bat. Take time to look into the problem and what they may be experiencing. Find resources in your area that may help to deal with the problem. Have patience with them and understand that the problem cannot be cured overnight. Be supportive and don't try to cure the problem by yourself. In most cases this proves ineffective and emotionally draining on both of you.

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Supplemental Information:

There are a number of resources available, both on and off campus, to assist with problems related to eating disorders.  Please visit one of the following to get help:

Student Health Services: Please call (766-2130) as far ahead as possible to make an appointment. Also, arrive at Student Health Services 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment. If you are late for an appointment, you may be required to reschedule.

University Counseling Center: Appointments must be made in person with the University Counseling Center office staff in room 341 Knight Hall, on campus.  Office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm. During the summer office hours are 7:30am - 4:30pm.

Something Fishy is an informational website for parents, friends, and persons with eating disorders. 

The Mayo Clinic offers a number of informational articles discussing eating disorders.  Go to the search box in the upper right hand corner and type in "eating disorders.

National Eating Disorders Association of America works to prevent eating disorders and provides treatment referrals to those with eating disorders. 

 

If you have problems, comments, or concerns regarding this web site please email us at rlads-technology@uwyo.edu.