By Emily Schoch | Staff Writer
As college students juggle academic pressures, social expectations and newfound independence, eating disorders have become a growing concern.
According to the National Library of Medicine, eating disorders increased in both men and women between 2018 and 2021. In 2018, 31.8% of women struggled with an eating disorder, compared to 51.8% of women in 2021. Though less common in men, eating disorders rose significantly from 13% struggling in 2009 to 31.3% in 2021.
Experts warn that the competitive and high-stress environment of college life can fuel unhealthy relationships with food, leaving many students struggling in silence.
Stanley Wilfong, senior lecturer in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, explained that social media drives misinformation, leading students to believe false narratives about eating.
“People come in with all sorts of misinformation about nutrition,” Wilfong said. “They listen to influencers online that don’t know what they’re talking about, and it tends to drive eating disorders.”
There are many factors that can lead to eating disorders, among them the “Freshman 15.” This concept scares students into thinking that they will gain weight in college.
It’s easy for students to overcompensate with exercise in relation to how much they eat in an effort to prevent weight gain. This creates a mindset where the main goal of many students is to avoid the “Freshman 15.”
According to Wilfong, this mindset sometimes develops into an eating disorder.
A typical way for eating disorders to manifest is through body dysmorphia. The Mayo Clinic describes body dysmorphia disorder as a “mental health condition in which you can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance.”
Sometimes, students develop an eating disorder called bulimia. Eating Recovery Center defines bulimia as “an eating disorder characterized by patterns of bingeing (consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time) and purging (eliminating calories consumed) in order to lose weight.”
Another common eating disorder that can stem from body dysmorphia is anorexia. According to National Eating Disorders Association, people with anorexia restrict the amount of calories and the types of food they eat. The disorder may also include compulsive exercising, purging and using laxatives. According to Wilfong, anorexia is much more serious than some people realize.
“People overall will start limiting heavily things that they eat and that drives anorexia nervosa, which is a diagnosed eating disorder, and it’s fatal to some people, so it’s a big deal,” Wilfong said.
LesLee Funderburk, associate professor of nutrition sciences, said that eating disorders often stem from social media.
“It all circles back around to body image [and] social media,” Funderburk said. “People put their pictures out on social media to get likes, and they hyperfocus on people’s physical appearance.”
If you or someone you know struggles with an eating disorder, call 866-932-1264 to reach the Eating Disorder Hotline for 24/7 help.
