Choosing between the West Campus Burger, the pasta toss or a slice of pizza may be a piece of cake compared to philosophy class &- but it’s not always easy as pie for some students.
Nearly 10 million women and a million men suffer from eating disorders, according to the National Eating Disorders Association.
In light of National Eating Disorders Week, from Feb. 21-27, about 20 students attended a panel discussion Wednesday about the causes of eating disorders and how to control them and raise awareness. Hosted by the Boston University Nutrition Club, the panel featured a BU professor, an eating disorder survivor, a therapist and a doctoral student.
Panelist Paula Quatromoni, a BU nutritionist and associate professor, kicked off the discussion by pointing out how society’s emphasis on obesity and stresses in people’s everyday lives is often what triggers the disorders.
“Working in a college setting or working within athletics . . . these are major stresses that can trigger a person who’s vulnerable [to developing] an eating disorder,” Quatromoni said.
She explained that when people starve themselves to lose weight, it actually has the opposite effect.
“By starving yourself, the physiological response is to feed yourself and so that’s what your body is telling you to do,” she said. “To know when you’re hungry and when you’re full is a skill.
The panel was the third the club has organized, said Nutrition Club Vice President and Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences sophomore Julia Sementelli.
“Eating disorders are a big problem on college campuses and go un-talked about,” she said. “People are struggling all the time and I think it’s important to create awareness through events like these.”
Doctoral student Dana Satir, another panelist, said eating habits are not easy to manage.
“Oftentimes, people feel eating disorders are under control, and [the] cure is willpower or just eating, but it is not that simple,” she said.
She gave an example of a woman who took pills to lose weight. Professionals could not help her and did not diagnose her as anorexic because she didn’t look like she was starving herself.
“But this young woman would fit into the [eating disorders] category, otherwise unspecified,” she said. “Over 50 percent of patients fall into this category.”
Quatromoni suggested students keep Sargent Choice’s acronym SARCH — safe, achievable, realistic, calm, healthy — in mind when they reach for the cupboard.
Panelist Elizabeth Rice, an eating disorder survivor, said she learned a lot during her recovery.
“I got my life back,” she said. “I think food is more than just simple nourishment. It has such a social, warm component to it and now I enjoy that.”
Attendees said they found the varied views to be enlightening.
“I definitely enjoyed the panel discussion, bringing together different perspectives and just talk,” said SAR graduate student Whitney Ahneman.
The “underlying competitiveness” of eating very little to stay thin can be especially dangerous in this culture, said SAR sophomore Daniel Chiang.
“It is important for people to know that you can eat well and be in shape without extreme diets and depriving yourself,” Chiang said.
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