She is tall, blonde
and ultra-thin, and many have seen her perfectly posed around
campus.
The cardboard image of Barbie is just that—an image of a
body statistics prove many women strive to obtain day in and day
out.
One in every four female college students has admitted to having
either an eating disorder or to suffering from disordered eating.
Disordered eating is “when a person’s attitudes about
food, weight and body size lead to very rigid eating and exercise
habits that jeopardize one’s health, happiness, and safety,”
according to the Counseling Center.
When viewing statistics of all ages, the problem may begin with
some before entering college.
According to the Counseling Center, 42 percent of first and third
grade girls want to be thinner.
Eighty-one percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of becoming fat.
The average American woman is 5-foot-4-inches tall and weighs
140 pounds, and the average American model is 5-foot-11-inches
tall and weighs 117 pounds.
Appalachian State University is aware of such overwhelming statistics
and has devoted time to creating awareness about eating disorders
and the importance of having a healthy body image.
The first annual Women’s Weekend is being held Friday, Nov.
8 and Saturday, Nov. 9 in Plemmons Student Union. The Women’s
Weekend is being held in an effort to educate women about their
bodies and rebuke the negative images and ideals displayed in
society, as well as foster self-esteem and acceptance of their
bodies.
A theatrical performance will be put on Friday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m.
in Grandfather Ballroom in Plemmons Student Union concerning five
women suffering from weight issues and weight obsession.
Women will also have a chance to participate in partner yoga.
On Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., there will be
a brunch and fashion show in the Blue Ridge Ballroom featuring
women of all different sizes in everyday clothing from pajamas
to khakis to business attire.
Other sessions will follow focusing on building one’s self-esteem
and wellness through meditation, exercise and discussion.
Bring a mother, daughter, friend, sister, professor, teammate
or just one’s self. All women are encouraged to attend the
free weekend.
“People are going to walk away knowing it’s OK not to
look like Barbie,” said Dr. Denise M. Lovin, staff psychologist
in the Counseling and Psychological Services Center.
The Women’s Center, the Appalachian Parents Association and
the Counseling and Psychological Services Center are sponsoring
the event.
Eating Disorders Awareness Week, generally held in February, is
a similar attempt to foster awareness about eating disorders and
disordered eating.
The “Great Jeans Giveaway” stands as one of the more
memorable events held during the awareness week last year. The
idea was to giveaway one’s “jeans” while being
happy with and keeping one’s “genes.” Forty-five
pairs were collected as girls searched their closets to find those
jeans that would never fit and learned to just accept the body
they had. The jeans were then donated to charity.
A “Body Fair” was also held during Eating Disorders
Awareness Week where students could visit different booths that
concentrated on body image, and the “scale of fortune”
made an appearance. This scale doesn’t offer numbers, rather
a fortune that gives those weighing a positive message about their
body.
Faculty and staff got involved by holding a luncheon consisting
of healthy foods to promote the benefits of eating healthily and
in moderation and to address how one can eat healthily in college.
They also addressed how to eat healthily on campus and how to
maintain a balanced diet.
The university also works to create awareness weekly through the
Eating Disorders Task Force.
The task force is made up of faculty, staff and students who meet
to address body image and eating concerns and consider programs
and changes that could be made on campus and in the community
to provide wellness and self-esteem.
“When people think of eating disorders they think of the
specific eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, but we
deal with the fact that many people deal with the gray areas of
how they feel about their bodies; it’s not just the black
and white issues,” said Lara S. Conant, a senior health promotions
major.
Much of the work the task force does is based around educating
student about the facts, Lovin said.
The Eating Disorders Task Force meets weekly at noon For more
information, contact Denise Lovin in the Counseling Center at
262- 3180.
For those interested in participating in the Women’s Weekend,
contact Debbie in the Counseling Center at 262-3180 by Nov. 1
to R.S.V.P. Seating is limited. |
