Students at California State University, Stanislaus recently got the chance to learn more about an issue which is especially pressing to college students who may not pay much attention to their diets.
On Wednesday, March 1, the Department of Sociology in conjunction with Associated Students, Inc. put together the Eating Disorder Awareness event, bringing attention to the issue of eating disorders, their symptoms, and how to prevent them. 
While most students may not think about whether or not eating disorders are impacting their lives, the event armed students with knowledge and statistics to make them think twice about the way they eat.
“It really opened my eyes to how common a problem it is,” Jocelyn Abonce (sophomore, Criminal Justice) said. 
The entire night was set up and run by students in the class “Thin and Fat: The Sociology of Eating.” The class gave students a chance to learn about the disorders themselves and to put this knowledge to work by making it available to the student body as a whole.
“We learned the history of eating disorders and we did a lot of research in the media and how it affects our ideas of body image,” said Shauna Settlemoir (junior, Sociology), one of the students in the class.
The event began by having attendees make a name tag onto which they printed a description of themselves that was positive and affirming. These ranged from “sexy” to “curvy” and along further lines of healthy self-image. 
“I got a really positive message about not basing a lot on physical appearance,” Mikayla Johnson (sophomore, Kinesiology) said. 
Students and faculty were then allowed to roam the room, where posters announced statistics such as “Only 1 in 10 people with eating disorders get treatment.” Brochures provided information about seeking help and recognizing the signs of an eating disorder. Students could also sign the Wall of Fame and Wall of Shame where they could display what negative things they vowed to keep away from and what positive ones they would reinforce. 
“We’re trying to make people aware of the positives that contrast the negative thoughts and ideas that lead to these diseases,” Rosa Ramirez (senior, Sociology) said. 
The event concluded in a question and answer session which led to discussion and debate that everyone could participate in. 
“I feel it’s important to discuss this issue, and that they included us and made us involved in a comfortable environment was great,” Laura Delight (senior, Sociology) said. 
The entire night provided information that most students don’t consider when focused on studying, working, and trying to maintain an education. When projects, papers, and exams come first, often health is left by the wayside. This event got people thinking about the ways they eat and the ways they can ensure their eating habits don’t suffer. 
Students who want more information about eating disorders or want to seek help can contact the National Eating Disorder Association’s helpline at 1-800-931-2237 or CSU Stanislaus Psychological Counseling Services at (209) 667-3381.