The Benefits of an Bringing Awareness
Since moving towards a more body positive outlook starts with the individual, the only way to initiate this is to start with individual. Negative body image, disordered eating, and eating disorders are all hidden symptoms and diseases. In order to bring these illnesses to the awareness of college campuses a solution is to raise awareness and start educating college women about them. Alarmingly, many college women do not seek help because, 48% do not know that they have an eating disorder, 34% lack of awareness of treatment resources, 28% are embarrassed to seek treatment, 28% lack treatment resources and 18% lack of knowledge by staff about where to refer students.4
By informing students on the added stress the transition from high school to college can entail, how to successfully navigate the different dining options, how to purchase a gym membership, how to stay active in college, how to change the perspective on social media use, how comparison too others is detrimental to personal body image, teaching the signs of disordered eating, creating a more positive view on independence and personal worth, and finally making the resources for help known, negative body image leading to disordered eating and depression can be lessened.
Resources, such as, the gym, dining halls, food option, and help centers are already on campus and awareness just needs to be brought to their availability. The benefits of gaining a positive body image are greater than the costs in regards to the overall environment of the campus. Negative body image leads to depression, disordered eating, and suicide. By stopping the body negative thoughts and talks, there is the potential for positive change across the campus.