Why College Students Are So At Risk for Developing EDs
College is an exciting time for exploration and new learning environments, sometimes at a distance away from home. While not all students live on campus, all students to a certain degree are faced with the challenges that come from being in an unfamiliar environment. For the students that choose to live on campus, many face the stress of sharing space with new roommates, or having more control over their own food choices. The students who commute might also have the challenge of facing the additional food choices, as well as navigating the planned trips around a regular class load.
Unfortunately college can also come with its challenges. For many, college marks the first time they have been alone and away from their families and friends. There is also the stress of exams, classes or making new friends. A high-stress environment such as this one can make students particularly susceptible to eating disorders.
Eating disorders have been proven to be exacerbated by stress and anxiety, which can be particularly problematic due to the high-stress or high-anxiety environment that is often present in a college setting. Students are not only focused on the pressure of studying for exams, and keeping their grades up, but also trying to navigate the other aspects of a college environment. Getting involved in campus activities, such as clubs or sports groups can add to the college experience, but it can often feel overwhelming to balance it all. Many students also have part-time or work-study jobs as well, with college finances potentially being an additional stressor.
Balancing everything in addition to figuring out future plans adds to the stress that makes these students at risk for developing eating disorders.
Most colleges and universities have dining halls that give students access to almost unlimited amounts of food with numerous different choices to choose from. Some universities have meal cards or swipes, but it can sometimes be as though in order to make use of a meal swipe, students must get a full meal, even if they are not fully hungry. Other universities might have campus cash, that avoids the ‘wasteful’ feeling that meal swipes sometimes can, however all students still face the numerous options in dining halls such as buffet style dining, where they can get anything they want with their meal plans. This can be a new experience for some students yet it can also make navigating the food environment difficult especially if one is already at risk for having an eating disorder.
Having access to food at all times, something that often differs greatly from what these students are accustomed to in a home environment, can potentially trigger binge eating disorder, or bulimia nervosa, due to this feeling of being overwhelmed or having a lack of control.
Another lifestyle component that can put students at risk for disordered eating or eating disorders is the social aspect of college. Not only are students faced with academic stressors, but social ones as well. It becomes easy for college students to compare themselves to others, and focus on idealized body images. Widespread myths such as the ‘Freshman 15’, which describes the myth that freshmen gain 15 pounds within their first semester, can cause a sense of fear in some students. This phrase is a myth, as many students have weight changes at this stage in their lives, and there absolutely is nothing wrong with that. Comparing one’s body image to others can also take into effect, particularly with social groups such as greek life or different sporting groups. Being in these environments can cause the feeling of needing to compare oneself to others which can potentially lead to disordered eating.
Despite all the stressors, the social aspect of college can still be fun, and finding new friends and hobbies is important to discovering more about oneself as a student. However, there can often be pressure or excitement surrounding going to parties and drinking. There tends to be a high prevalence of alcohol misuse on college campuses, and this can often affect those already at risk for disordered eating.
Drunkorexia is a term to describe a type of eating disorder that can arise out of calorie restriction and drinking, in order to drink alcohol and not gain weight. Individuals who struggle with this might eat less or restrict their food intake on days that they drink in order to ‘save’ the number of calories they consume for drinking. With the high focus on body image, college students can be particularly susceptible to this type of thinking which can result in many negative consequences to their health.
Eating disorders in a college environment are difficult, especially for first-year college students. New students often have less of a support system in place for dealing with the stress and anxiety that arise from their new college lifestyles. Many campuses provide counseling that is included in their tuition, or have support groups for others with the same struggles. In this case it is important to find a support system, whether it is on-campus counseling or looking into eating disorder resources that the university provides. This way students will be able to find help for navigating this new environment in a healthier way, and still be able to enjoy the full experience of college life.
References
Brodeur-Johnson, S. (2022, July 31). Eating Disorders and College Students. Veritas Collaborative. https://veritascollaborative.com/blog/eating-disorders-and-college-students/
Burke, S. C., Cremeens, J., Vail-Smith, K., & Woolsey, C. (2010). Drunkorexia: Calorie
Restriction Prior to Alcohol Consumption among College Freshman. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education, 54(2), 17–34
Eating Disorders in College: What You Need to Know. (n.d.). Verywell Mind. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/eating-disorders-on-campus-what-you-should-know-5186928
Jacobson, R. (n.d.). College Students and Eating Disorders. Child Mind Institute. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://childmind.org/article/eating-disorders-and-college/
Markey, C. (n.d.). The “Freshman 15” Is a Dangerous Myth. US News & World Report. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/the-freshman-15-is-a-dangerous-myth