Tuesday, October 16, 2001

Wilmington -- SHEBA, Students for Healthy Eating and Body Acceptance, an

outreach/activism group whose mission is to promote healthy body image and raise awareness regarding disordered eating, was recently organized on the campus of UNC Wilmington.

“Several other campuses across the country have started such groups and have received great publicity for their activism events and their stand on body image issues,” said SHEBA co-founder Nicole Hinson, university nutritionist in UNCW’s Wellness Services.

Eating disorders are an issue on college campuses, and particularly for UNCW, noted Dr. Kayj Nash Okine, staff counselor/eating disorder specialist at the UNCW Counseling Center.

“Disordered eating is much more prevalent among college students than among the rest of the population, due to factors such as increased academic and social pressures, numerous activities emphasizing weight and body image, difficulties transitioning from home to a new environment, as well as family pressures and dynamics,” she said. “It is estimated that 17-32 percent of college women display eating disorder symptoms, so it is important to have an advocacy group on campus to raise awareness and foster prevention.”

SHEBA met for the first time Sept. 17 to plan presentations, activities and events on issues related to body image and disordered eating for the 2001-2002 school year. The next SHEBA meeting is 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 23, in the Student Recreation Center Training Room.

Currently SHEBA is sponsoring a Magazine Advertisement Rejection Display in the Warwick Center glass case. It features ads taken from popular magazines that promote a negative body image to men and women. The display will run through Oct. 19.

SHEBA presents its first program at 5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 29 in the Student

Recreation Center: "Debunking Diet Myths: The Dangers and Realities of Dieting." The program will address popular fad diets and weight loss myths, and offer the truth to healthy long-lasting weight management.

The group is also surveying UNCW students on body image issues, seeking responses to the question, "Are you currently trying to lose weight?" This initial survey takes place today Oct. 15 and 16 and will offer some good statistics about the UNCW population.

SHEBA was co-founded by Dr. Okine and Ms. Hinson in an effort to promote healthy body image and raise awareness regarding disordered eating on campus. Eleven students with interests ranging from women’s issues to eating disorders attended the first meeting.

The group formulated the following goals for SHEBA:

- Serve as peer educators to raise awareness and increase knowledge of disordered eating and body image issues.

- Challenge prevailing social norms and media images through activism, programming and activities.

- Foster positive eating attitudes and behaviors.

- Dispel diet myths and unhealthy weight loss practices.

- Serve as a resource and referral base for students with disordered eating.

Numerous other ideas for activities, events and presentations were generated including a Body Image Workshop, International No Diet Day, Eating Disorder Awareness Week, an Eating Disorder Panel: Personal Perspectives, Disordered Eating on the College Scene, and De-bunking Dieting and Media Myths.

For further information regarding the new group please call either Kayj Nash

Okine, at 962-3063, or Nicole Hinson, at 910/962-7512. If you would like quotes from members or their personal perspective, Jessica Riffle (910/793-4002)and Whitney Lee (910/794-4963) have volunteered to serve as student contacts.