Eating Disorders: The Hidden Epidemic on College Campuses

Lilly Trow ’29

Contributing Writer

An eating disorder is a mental health condition in which someone exhibits abnormal eating habits and patterns. This can include, but is not limited to: anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating. Anorexia is a pattern in which someone consistently limits their caloric intake with the goal of losing weight or changing their body image. Bulimia is a pattern of eating and purging to also lose or maintain weight. Binge-eating is a cycle of overeating followed by intense feelings of regret or guilt.  

Even with the immense amount of information online about these conditions, they are still on the rise with younger people, pushing researchers to pursue the topic. Among the biggest questions is: why are they so prevalent at colleges and within this age range? But are discussions of these conditions instead of direct action adding to the problem, rather than helping those that need it? 

A recent study of nearly 30,000 college students across 26 colleges showed that 13% of participants exhibited signs and markers of an active eating disorder. This would mean that approximately 3,893 of respondents, two-thirds being female, showed symptoms. This is a staggering number considering the resources seemingly made available to students and the consistent conversation of these topics on most social media platforms. 

Pivotally, most of the respondents showed signs of bulimia, not anorexia. Since bulimia is characterized by eating followed by purging, it could be inferred that it would be easier for someone to hide their disorder compared to someone struggling with anorexia. Purging is also a common behavior after drinking, allowing some to mask the prevalence of bulimia with college drinking culture. A student can seemingly still go out to eat with friends and family; they can socialize, but still be hiding their existing disorder. 

Another study conducted with college students showed that the prevalence of eating disorders was at 31.8% in 2018 to 51.8% in 2021 among women and a rise occurring in men as well. The stark change in prevalence during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic is vitally important: social media was at a peak and comparison between young adults became the norm. This did not simply dissipate when people started to attend school in-person again, but rather continued due to in-person comparison and the rise of loneliness. Because of this, many college campuses have newer groups and organizations tailored to helping those with disordered eating and spreading awareness on the topic. Trinity has our own organization called Promoting Health Awareness of the Body (PHAB) to spread awareness on these topics. 

Many variables within the college environment can exacerbate a previous disorder or start a new one: living in a dorm with others, eating in one place and indulging in online comparison. These conditions need to be further researched and discussed when thinking about disordered eating and the college experience. Many minor markers of disordered eating have even become normalized as well: skipping meals, purging after drinking, comparing yourself to fellow classmates have all become normal within these spaces when in reality they are warning signs of disorder.  

It is important for colleges to continue their work in helping their students struggling with these disorders, including Trinity. More counseling aimed at targeting these specific disorders is crucial since a different type of therapy needs to be implemented for those struggling. More education on proper nutrition and what can happen if you are not reaching those targets is crucial for all and should not only be normalized for college athletes, but everyone. While most colleges have tried over the last decade to target this issue, more work still needs to be done if they want the best for their student populations.