The Student Health Center will host several events this week to inform students about eating disorders and body image to recognize National Eating Disorders Week and Body Image Month. The Health Center will have a table sit in Free Speech Alley today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Three separate tables will focus on eating disorders, body image and how the media affects students’ views of themselves. Artist Larry Kirkwood will present artistic body casts taken from a diverse range of people and will speak about body image Monday at 7 p.m. in the Union Ballroom. On Tuesday night, the Health Center will host its 3rd annual Do It Up in Denim fashion show to promote positive body image for people of all shapes and sizes. “We’re doing events like these to promote being healthier and happier with the way you are” said Wellness Education coordinator Hope McPhatter. McPhatter said body image issues are prevalent for college-aged students, and underclassmen are most at risk to suffer from body image issues because they are adjusting to a new, sometimes intimidating situation. “You kind of lose yourself, and you have to find yourself again,” McPhatter said. McPhatter also stressed media’s role in body image issues and eating disorders. “Media has a huge part in body image because that’s what we see all the time – you are inundated with them,” McPhatter said. “[Media] molds the way you think beauty is supposed to be. We hope people are objective when they look at things like that.” Some students said they are unsure if eating disorders are a problem on campus because they do not personally know anyone who suffers from them. “I don’t speak to many people on campus, and none of my friends have it,” said Samantha Garcia, photography junior. Still others said most people worry about their body image. “I don’t know how many people have eating disorders on campus, but I know people worry about their body image,” said Katie McArdle, mass communication senior. Students said they are glad the Health Center is raising awareness to the issue. “It makes people more aware that it’s out there. And if people are having problems, they know they could go and talk to someone about it,” Garcia said. McPhatter said holding events like these are important. “As health educators on this campus, we need to change what people’s perceptions of beauty are,” McPhatter said. “I think, in my profession, we can do that – we have the power to do that.”
—-Contact Allen Womble at [email protected]