Nutritionists express their concern about body images

IU Health Center nutritionists and counselors said they were concerned by what they read in the article “Big dreams, thin figures” that ran in the Indiana Daily Student three weeks ago.

“I was saddened by the article because it showed that a lot of the students are not aware of the services available to them on campus and don’t know where to go for help,” said Bobbie Saccone, a dietitian and nutrition counselor at the IU Health Center.

The article featured IU Ballet Theater students who saw a lack of health education in the department.

The students also talked about the presence of eating disorders and the vulnerability dancers have to adopt unhealthy diets and body images.

The Coalition for Overcoming Problem Eating/Exercise of the Health Center contacted the dancers in response to their testimonies to see how they could reach out to other students in the program.

Diana Ebling, medical director of the Health Center, said ballerinas are more vulnerable to negative body images and health practices because of the pressure to look a certain way, but said all types of people deal with body-image-related issues one way or another.

“There are a lot of students on campus who would benefit from our services,” Ebling said. “Yet statistics show that only 10 percent of people with eating disorders get treatment. We want to highlight the services we have on campus.”

The Health Center actively works to promote healthy lifestyles to students. The last week of February was Celebrate EveryBODY Week, an annual event COPE and the Health Center use to spread positive body image information and awareness of the University’s health services. Additionally, March is considered National Nutrition Month.

What was once Eating Disorder Awareness Day is now a week full of positive body image activities to celebrate all body types.

A number of other campuses participate in the week, but Saccone said IU was one of the first campuses to adopt and develop the program.

“The variety of activities offers something for everyone,” Saccone said. “Students and staff got to do things like take a pledge to stop criticizing a part of themselves or go to a Zumba and hip-hop dance party. Celebrate EveryBODY Week really raises awareness in general.”

Ebling said Celebrate EveryBODY Week has encouraged students to seek out available health services in the past.

“Students, after going to the different events and learning about eating disorders, are able to see some of the issues we bring up in their own habits,” Ebling said. “We have had students come in to set up appointments after what they learned in Celebrate EveryBODY Week.”

The Health Center offers free services to students through COPE, Counseling and Psychological Services and Health and Wellness Dietitians.
 
Nutritionists, medical specialists, dieticians and counselors are available to students at any time.

CAPS Director Nancy Stockton said these different resources were created so students can choose where they feel comfortable to receive information or treatment.

“Students can start where they want to start,” Stockton said.

“This really fits with the issue of control that many people with eating disorders feel a lack of. These options set them up with maximum choice of who they want to talk to.”

Though students or friends of students dealing with eating disorders are encouraged to use these resources, Saconne said these services are for everyone, not just for people with a noticeable condition.

“Any student who watches TV or goes on the Internet absorbs over 10,000 messages a week about weight and body image,” Saconne said. “This makes college students an at-risk group. It has become such a cultural norm to criticize our bodies and weight, and we are trying to educate students about it.”

The Health Center also works to break the stigma that eating disorders only affect women who want to be thinner. It encourages college men to utilize its services, as well. 

“Males are often affected in the opposite way with a condition called muscle dysmorphia,” Saconne said. “They look in the mirror and see a scrawny person and become obsessed with getting bigger.”

Celebrate EveryBODY Week spreads the message that people should appreciate and love their bodies the way they are, but the Health Center recognizes it is not always so easy to get to that point.

“We want all students to know we are here and what we can do for them,” Ebling said.
“They don’t have to feel ill when they come in. We just want students to know we are here to help.”