Eating Concerns

​​​Whether you are looking for more education and available resources for yourself or someone else, are unsure of where you fall on the spectrum of eating concerns, or know you need help or recovery support, Health Promotion and Wellness (HPW) is available to provide you with advocacy, support, and access to resources. For counseling options, reach out to University Counseling and Psychological Services

Eating concerns and body image issues can affect anyone, and our DePaul community is no exception. As with other health and wellness issues, one's relationship with food and eating can span the spectrum from healthy to mildly unhealthy to severely unhealthy. This may look like having an un-healthy relationship with food, experiencing disordered eating, or experiencing an eating disorder(s). Additionally, body image issues may occur simultaneously with eating concerns or occur independent of eating concerns. For example, it's possible to have body image concerns and a healthy relationship with food or disordered eating and poor body image.

To access a wide variety of resources and information on the topic, a good source is the National Eating Disorders Association.

Early Detection

Eating disorders are complex medical concerns, that include a range of emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms. As with other serious illnesses, early detection and intervention as well as efforts to decrease stigma and increase awareness all support recovery. Visit the following for more information on:

• Warning signs
• Signs of eating concerns in yourself and those in our community

Factors that Contribute to Eating or Body Image Disorders

There are many factors (i.e., biological, social, cultural, and psychological) that contribute to one's body image that may result in a positive, neutral, or negative body image. One factor includes the internalization of external, sociocultural messages that often dictate what types of bodies are ideal​​ized, which can disrupt and distort our image of ourselves when we do not meet that arbitrary standard. It's important to note that those with negative self-image, or body dissatisfaction, may be at greater risk for developing eating concerns. In addition to taking steps towards improving your own body image and overall well-being, there are also resources on ways to engage in social justice as it relates to eating concerns and body image:

• Explore your body image
• Challenge weight stigma
• Promote size diversity