Eating Disorders
For many, eating disorder behaviours can be considered a form of non-suicidal self-injury (Washburn et al., 2023). Although there are important criticisms of using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as the basis for understanding eating disorders, it is important to understand how the medical field categorizes them. The DSM-5 includes anorexia nervosa (AN), binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN) (APA, 2013). The table below provides a brief overview of the symptoms of each disorder:
| Diagnosis | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Anorexia Nervosa | Restriction of calories, intense fear of weight gain, distortions of one’s view of self and the seriousness of their condition |
| Binge Eating Disorder | Recurrent episodes of binge eating, lack of control when eating, eating until uncomfortably full within a short period of time |
| Bulimia Nervosa | Episodes of bingeing followed by compensatory behaviours, which can include the use of laxatives, intense exercise, or purging to “compensate” for the food consumed |
Surveys distributed to students attending 41 Canadian post-secondary institutions indicated that 2.6% of respondents were diagnosed with an eating disorder in the last year, specifically anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa (American College Health Association [ACHA], 2016). Given a low survey response rate in this study, the number might be higher; other data suggests it might be as high as 5% in universities (Stuckless, 2023). Furthermore, much of this data precedes the COVID-19 pandemic, which likely had a significant impact on the development and maintenance of eating disorders due to its effects on food prices, income security, and general mental health, especially since these societal stressors have continued into the present day (Barry et al., 2021).
There are many important factors to consider when addressing eating disorders on post-secondary campuses, including (but not limited to): the experiences of student athletes (notably in weight- or size-based sports that depend on the maintenance of a specific body type), the impact of financial stressors and food security, as well as the availability and accessibility of specialized eating disorder services (Barry et al., 2021; Bianchi et al., 2021; Byrom et al., 2022). Many post-secondary students face financial difficulties, impacting their access to nutritional food or specialized private care, subsequently contributing to the development and maintenance of disordered eating (Barry et al., 2021).
Terms to Know – Orthorexia and Anorexia Athletica
The term “orthorexia” is used to describe a cluster of behaviours focused on eating foods that are considered “healthy” or “natural”, with little flexibility. Additionally, the term “anorexia athletica” has been used informally to describe a preoccupation with exercise as a method for maintaining or losing weight. Neither of these are clinical terms per se but are nevertheless used to describe specific disordered eating behaviours — especially for those working within post-secondary mental health services who may encounter these terms when working with their clients (NEDIC, n.d.).