February 22 marks the beginning of this year's National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAwareness Week) and Miami University plans to help spread the message.
Started by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), the NEDAwareness Week's primary purpose is to raise awareness about the dangers of eating disorders and to offer solutions for intervention and treatment. NEDA's Web site explains this week is especially significant because it raises awareness at a local, state and national level.
According to the Web site, NEDA's primary goal is to end eating disorders within the United States. Officially established in 2001, NEDA was created when Eating Disorders Awareness & Prevention (EDAP) joined with the American Anorexia Bulimia Association (AABA). Despite this, the National Eating Disorders Awareness Week has been recognized since 1987.
This year, NEDA is hosting NEDA Walk, which will become an annual event. The walk-a-thon is just one more way to raise awareness throughout the community. Universities around the nation can become involved by contacting NEDA.
According to the Web site, during the NEDAwareness Week, events are held throughout the country where individuals can share stories and learn more about eating disorders.
At Miami, Individuals for Disordered Eating Awareness (IDEA), is a student-run organization that encourages students to look beyond the social conformities of society, according to staff adviser Kristen Evans.
While this week is specifically designed to raise awareness of eating disorders, IDEA has other activities throughout the year that deal with other self-esteem issues such as beauty and personal perception.
Evans said IDEA has been participating in the NEDAwareness Week for four years. Evans said from Feb. 22-28, IDEA members will be promoting awareness throughout campus by handing out flyers in campus dining halls and at uptown businesses.
IDEA president Jean Kleimeyer said the flyers handed out by IDEA members, as well as by student members of Health Advocates for Wellness Knowledge and Skills (HAWKS), the Student Dietetics Association and the Women Center Ambassadors, will contain facts about eating disorders and offer helpful contact information.
In addition, IDEA has asked Mary Pat Turon-Findley to be this year's guest speaker. Turon-Findley is a clinical dietician from Cincinnati who will speak at 6 p.m. Feb. 26 in 212 MacMillan Hall.
Kleimeyer said it is important to raise awareness this week.
"You can be any size and have an eating disorder," Kleimeyer said.
Residence halls are also getting involved by using bulletin boards to address eating disorders issues. Arranged by Kleimeyer and other IDEA members, interested Resident Advisers will be receiving posters and other materials that describe the different kinds of eating disorders, give references to where individuals can go for help and offer advice for what to do if friends have eating disorders.
Kleimeyer said currently people are not very comfortable discussing eating disorders, but she hopes by raising awareness individuals will be "more likely to seek treatment and talk about it."
Kleimeyer said Miami has often been stereotyped as having a large proportion of students with eating disorders.
"There are no studies to say if that's founded or not," Kleimeyer said. "Miami is most likely on par with other universities."
Kleimeyer said college women have the highest rate of eating disorders. The point of this week is to raise awareness beyond the spectrum of females with eating disorders, as men experience them too.
