{"id":23982,"date":"2025-05-08T20:27:37","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T20:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=23982"},"modified":"2025-05-08T20:27:38","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T20:27:38","slug":"new-study-reveals-widespread-eating-disorders-among-college-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/new-study-reveals-widespread-eating-disorders-among-college-students\/","title":{"rendered":"New Study Reveals Widespread Eating Disorders Among College Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">A new study led by Washington University in St. Louis shatters stereotypes about eating disorders, revealing that they affect college students across all racial and ethnic groups. The study encourages a more inclusive understanding and approach to mental health on campuses nationwide.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-b0ffac9c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eating disorders among college students are more prevalent and diverse than previously thought, according to a new study led by Washington University in St. Louis. This research, <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/eat.24427\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in The International Journal of Eating Disorders, reveals that eating disorders do not discriminate based on race or ethnicity, challenging long-held stereotypes about who suffers from these conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s been a perception that eating disorders mostly affect thin, white women,\u201d Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft, an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at WashU, said in a news release. \u201cOur study of college students dispels that myth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Funded by a National Institute of Mental Health grant, the study surveyed nearly 30,000 students from 26 colleges and universities, including WashU. The comprehensive assessment included questions about mental health,  body image and attitudes toward food, offering unprecedented insight into the scope of eating disorders on campuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The results were staggering: approximately 13% of respondents showed signs of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notably, the risk of these disorders was relatively uniform across white, Black, Asian and Latino students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo matter their racial or ethnic background, these students all live in a culture that encourages or expects individuals to conform to certain body ideals,\u201d added Fitzsimmons-Craft, who is also an associate professor of psychiatry in the School of Medicine. \u201cThese findings show that eating disorders can happen to anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the study&#8217;s critical revelations is that eating disorders often coexist with other mental health issues, such as major depressive disorder. For example, up to 78% of women and 68% of men with eating disorders also showed signs of depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn the past, health professionals would often put eating disorders and other psychological problems in completely different silos,\u201d Fitzsimmons-Craft added. \u201cThat approach caused a lot of damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study\u2019s findings support a more integrated approach to mental health care on college campuses. Counselors and doctors are encouraged to ask about eating habits when treating conditions like depression, anxiety or alcohol use disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fitzsimmons-Craft and her colleague Denise Wilfley, a professor of psychological and brain sciences and of medicine, pediatrics and psychiatry in the School of Medicine at WashU, are actively working to address this hidden crisis through <a href=\"https:\/\/healthyweightandwellness.wustl.edu\/clinical-care\/body-u\/\">Body U<\/a>, an online program funded by the Missouri Eating Disorders Council. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Available to all adults in Missouri, Body U offers online screening and tailored programs for disordered eating, providing essential resources and referrals for those in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Body U&#8217;s reach extends to every public university in Missouri, and thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is now available in six public school districts and two private schools, targeting middle and high school students at a critical time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re going to stay committed to these efforts,\u201d Fitzsimmons-Craft concluded. \u201cWe want awareness about eating disorders to become part of the culture, and we want widespread access to screening, prevention and treatment to become the norm, not the exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:13px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Source:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/artsci.washu.edu\/ampersand\/eating-disorders-hidden-health-crisis-college-campuses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Washington University in St. Louis<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eating disorders among college students are more prevalent and diverse than previously thought, according to a new study led by Washington University in St. Louis. This research, published in The International Journal of Eating Disorders, reveals that eating disorders do not discriminate based on race or ethnicity, challenging long-held stereotypes about who suffers from these [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[300],"class_list":["post-23982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","tag-washington-university-in-st-louis"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Eating disorders among college students are more prevalent and diverse than previously thought, according to a new study led by Washington University in St. Louis. This research, published in The International Journal of Eating Disorders, reveals that eating disorders do not discriminate based on race or ethnicity, challenging long-held stereotypes about who suffers from these&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23982"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23997,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23982\/revisions\/23997"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}