Society sees people physically in only two forms. One form is healthy, one is not. When we see a person smoking it is easy to say that they are unhealthy, the same goes for when we see someone drinking or doing drugs. However, when we see someone that is very thin there is no speculation that they may also being having health issues. Maybe they are just in shape or “naturally thin.” It is hard to see past their appearance and see that there could be an underlying issue like an eating disorder.

It is easy for one to point out the fact that someone that who is morbidly obese is unhealthy. Yes, this could be true, however not all people who are overweight can be “healed” by diet and exercise. There is a chance that there could be an underlying disorder similar to anorexia or bulimia, but opposite in manner. Binge eating disorder is an actual eating disorder and can be directly connected to obesity.

“I feel like unlike other eating disorders, binge eating is seen in a stronger negative light, like they can choose to get better,” said Michelle Roling, program coordinator for student counseling service. It is not a choice to simply get better, but the underlying issues, including both emotional and biological problems, can be a factor. 

An eating disorder is an eating disorder and should be treated as such. “Binge eating disorder is just as valid as the others and has psychological needs that need to be addressed to the whole person,” said Roling. When we think about eating disorders we are usually focusing on the physical aspect of a person, but eating disorders affect the entire person. They are more than a sickness, they are an unhealthy lifestyle for the people who suffer from them and needs multiple steps and people in order to cure it.

An eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia cannot just be treated by telling the person to eat. It can take a whole team made up of student counselors, dietitians and physicians to properly treat an eating disorder. The stigmas that often goes along with binge eating and obesity are that going to the gym and losing weight can cure it. That is simply not the case, and just as much attention should be focused on binge eating as anorexia and bulimia.

Iowa State is considered one of the healthiest campuses in the nation, but this distinction is based on the facilities to student ratio. Just because we have the facilities does not mean that everyone is using them as they should be. Iowa State runs along with the national norms when it comes to the amount of people who are overweight. 65.4 percent of adults are considered over weight, meaning that their body mass index is over 25, while 28.4 percent of adults are considered obese with a BMI of 30 or greater. 

Misuse of the gym goes the other way as well. Because we have two large facilities to work out in, it is easy for people to “double dip” and work out excessively. Working out excessively can have unhealthy effects on the body as well by exhausting the muscles and causing dehydration. 

Bulimia is the most “popular” eating disorder on campus. But just like you cannot tell that someone who is thin may be bulimic, you also cannot just assume that someone who is overweight suffers from binge eating disorder. The awareness for every disorder should be recognized and I felt that during the week that our school focused on body image and eating disorders, we failed to recognize people who did not have a “normal eating disorder.”

As students on a shared campus, we should be more accepting of each other. Judging another’s body image may well be part of what emotionally causes an eating disorder. It is crucial that before telling someone that they are lucky to be so thin, or that if they want a spring break body they should spend more time in the gym, take into consideration why they might look the way they do. There is more than meets the eye.