More than 15,000 fun-sized Twix bars will be passed out to students on campus today, each tagged with a message encouraging a positive body image and a healthy relationship with food.
The Twix campaign, run by Olin Health Center, is part of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Sponsored by the National Eating Disorder Association and the Academy for Eating Disorders, or AED, the week’s goal is to foster citizen concern and encourage leaders to advocate for better treatment of disorders.
“The biggest advantage of having the week is it focuses attention on the subject facing people and gets people talking,” said Charles Atkin, professor of communication and telecommunication, information studies and media and a health communications expert.
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week kicked off Monday at the state Capitol, with a public forum during which eating disorder survivors, including Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund, shared personal experiences. More events are scheduled throughout the country to raise awareness during the week.
Atkin said creating dialogue about eating disorders is key to alleviating the problem. One of the main challenges in lessening the impact of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, is that the diseases often are overlooked by others, Atkin said.
“People know the problems of eating disorders, but it’s not on the central radar of many people,” he said.
According to the AED, early detection and treatment are essential to curing a disorder. However, only about half of cases are fully treated.
Women between the ages of 15 and 24 are the most common victims of eating disorders — with one in 20 young women having one — but disorders can be seen across genders, races and ages.
One of the most commonly cited factors is the media’s focus on achieving the ideal body.
“It’s partially advertisements and the media with sex and body image,” journalism senior Jeffrey Proulx said. “But it’s definitely not the only thing.”
Eating disorders can lead to additional health problems, including osteoporosis, dental issues, intestinal problems and a decreased overall quality of life. According to the AED, up to 10 percent of women with anorexia die of related causes.
The Michigan Department of Community Health is not directly affiliated with National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, but spokesman James McCurtis said eating disorders are a major issue the department must tackle.
“It’s great that a program like this exists,” he said. “Eating disorders are a big concern and it should be something that people are aware of all the time.”
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