University life comes with new experiences, challenges, and pressures—including those related to food and body image. While conversations around mental health are growing, eating disorders often remain misunderstood or overlooked. As students navigating stressful academic and social environments, it's important to recognize the signs, understand the risks, and know how to support yourself and others.
What Are Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that involve unhealthy relationships with food, body image, and self-worth. They are not just about dieting or vanity; they often stem from deeper psychological, emotional, and environmental factors. The most common types include:
Anorexia Nervosa – Extreme restriction of food intake, intense fear of weight gain, and a distorted body image.
Bulimia Nervosa – Episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging, excessive exercise, or fasting.
Binge Eating Disorder – Consuming large amounts of food in a short period, often accompanied by feelings of guilt and loss of control.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED) – A category for disordered eating patterns that don’t fit neatly into the above diagnoses but are still harmful.
Signs to Look Out For
Eating disorders don’t always look the way media portrays them. They affect people of all body types, genders, and backgrounds. Warning signs include:
Obsessive calorie counting, excessive exercise, or strict food rules
Skipping meals or avoiding eating in front of others
Frequent trips to the bathroom after meals
Extreme guilt or distress around food
Fluctuations in weight or mood changes related to eating habits
Physical symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, hair loss, or digestive issues
Stress, social comparisons, and the pressure to “look a certain way” can make university students especially vulnerable. Busy schedules and limited budgets can also lead to disordered eating habits, such as skipping meals or binge eating due to stress. The combination of academic pressures and social expectations can create an environment where harmful eating behaviors go unnoticed or are even normalized.
How to Support Yourself and Others
If you’re struggling:
Seek support—campus health centers, counselors, and student groups can provide help.
Challenge diet culture—your worth is not determined by a number on the scale.
Practice self-compassion—listen to your body and treat yourself with kindness.
If you’re concerned about a friend:
Approach with care—express concern in a non-judgmental way.
Encourage professional help—support them in finding resources, but don’t force it.
Be patient—healing takes time, and your support matters.
Resources
Canada’s National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC)
Campus Healthy Cooking Sessions: Join our Peer Health Educator (PHE) volunteers for an in-person interactive cooking session. Learn how to prepare a quick, easy, inexpensive and healthy recipe. All students are welcome, regardless of your skill level of the kitchen.
Eating disorders are serious but treatable. Awareness, education, and support can make a difference. No one should struggle alone.
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