Eating disorders more frequent than reported

By Kristen Parrish

Some students are concerned that eating disorders are a problem on campus, despite a low number of cases reported by the on-campus Wellness Center.

About three percent of Santa Clara students reported having anorexia, and four percent admitted to suffering from bulimia, according to a recent survey of 812 undergraduate students conducted last spring by the American College Association.

While the results are similar to the national average, the Wellness Center has documented only four to six cases a year. Health educator and psychologist Jeanne Zeamba said that the number of cases documented has been consistent.

But some students believe the numbers are higher because people seek help outside Santa Clara.

"I think people don't use the Wellness Center because their advertising is so cheesy," said one junior. "People who have eating disorders don't really ask for help and they don't take the Wellness Center seriously. It seems more idealistic than realistic."

She also said she is aware of at least two or three other girls who suffer or have suffered from eating disorders, but never sought help through the university.

The university says it has continued to make an effort to help students by putting on health-related events, such as "Celebrate Every Body Week" with a panel comprised of psychologists.

"We need to educate more and provide more resources," Zeamba said. "We need to normalize that there are eating disorders and that it is okay to get help."

"Eating disorders are not necessarily an issue of weight or food," said Zeamba. "It's a coping mechanism to deal with pain so people turn to things they can control, such as food and exercise. Drugs and alcohol can be treated the same way."

One student added, "It's more complicated than throwing up food and being thin. It's a control over your own body, but really it's out of control." She also admits that she dealt with bulimia in the past and that she is still affected by it now.

She said that the reason why she started was because her parents were constantly encouraging thinness. Her mother and grandmother always watched what they ate, so she learned to do the same from a very young age.

"I always had distorted views about food and what it did to my body," she said. "The thing I was most scared of was getting fat -- even when I put on a little weight, my parents would comment."

Another junior, who asked not to be identified, spoke about her experience with bulimia.

"I started having an eating disorder in my freshman year of high school and it lasted for about two years," she said. "I stopped because I passed out one day at practice and I ended up going into a rehabilitation program."

She also said that she knows at least one other person who currently has an eating disorder or who has had one in the past.

Both women said they believe eating disorders to be a large issue at Santa Clara -- but one that is rarely discussed.

While it seems that eating disorders are mainly a problem for females, Zeamba says that eating disorders with men are currently on the rise, though women are still more likely to develop a problem.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 5 to 15 percent of people with anorexia or bulimia and about 35 percent of those with binge-eating disorders are male.

"The media's portrayal of men has been different in recent years -- there is this metro sexual trend now," Zeamba said. "I hope that awareness about eating disorders is growing amongst men."

One of the women criticized the media's portrayal of body image, saying that it's incredibly distorted and has an influence over how people perceive themselves.

"It (bulimia) is not something that's recognizable as an epidemic," she said. "No one wants to acknowledge the source, which is the message that society sends us."

Both women who have admitted to eating disorders say that they are still suffering.

"I still get pains in my side because I pulled a tendon in my ribs from throwing up," said one. "My metabolism is also out of whack from what it used to be."

One of the women added: "I think you really need to get to the root of the problem. It's a way of achieving a perfect body and to overcome it, you have to ignore the ideal."

* Contact Kristen Parrish at (408) 554-4546 or kparrish@scu.edu.