Fisher Plans Events during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
February 20, 2018
St. John Fisher College’s Health and Wellness Center will host several events in recognition of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, held Monday, Feb. 26 through Monday, March 4.
The Center will team up with the Athletics Department to screen the documentary film, “America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments,” at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, in Basil 135.
The film examines the cause of society’s obsession with dieting and weighs in passionately and humorously on the raging debate between doctors who say fat is healthy versus those who disagree. The screening will be followed by a discussion with Marie Bieber, a local registered dietician and nutritionist with a specialty in eating disorders.
The national observance of the week is organized by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) with the goal of creating conversations around the topic. According to NEDA’s website, “30 million Americans will struggle with a full-blown eating disorder and millions more will battle food and body image issues that have untold negative impacts on their lives.”
The theme of this year’s NEDAwareness Week is “Let’s Get Real,” and aims to promote the awareness and early detection screenings that are key to providing individuals with support.
Throughout NEDAwareness Week at Fisher, an information display table will be set up at Fisher campus dining locations during meal times. Student volunteers from Fisher’s Psychology Club, NAMI on Campus, and other student organizations will help Campus Life and Health and Wellness Center staff participate in working the display table. Organizers also said a life-size Barbie will be showcased as part of the display to generate conversation about the impact of Western culture’s unrealistic standards of beauty. In addition, a free, anonymous screening for eating disorders will be available.
For more information, contact Delia Gallmeyer, campus life wellness programmer, at dgallmeyer@sjfc.edu or the Health and Wellness Center at healthcenter@sjfc.edu.