Celebrate EveryBODY Week boosts self-esteem

About 40 to 60 percent of college students struggle with body image, said Cathy Cronemeyer, a member of the Coalition for Overcoming Problem Eating/Exercise.

The Coalition and Student Recreational Sports Center sponsored IU’s second annual Celebrate EveryBODY Week, which promotes positive body image.

Cronemeyer said both males and females face image issues.

“Thinking about spring break week, body image concerns are prevalent,” she said. “Part of this week is to make people aware of body concerns and disordered eating and help people think more positively about their bodies.”

Andy Fry, assistant director for fitness and wellness at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation’s Campus Recreational Sports, said society is partially responsible for negative body issues.

“There are so many ads that create this illusion of beauty when really we have the strength inside us,” said Fry. “We need to stop looking at what society has deemed to be beautiful and worthy. The beauty is inside ourselves.”

Fry said one of the most important events of the week was the expert panel discussion that featured 2009’s Miss Indiana Nicole Pollard, social disorder and eating disorder specialist Jan Taylor-Shultz, registered dietician Janele Bayless and program director for fitness and wellness at the Student Recreational Sports Center Chris Arvin.

Graduate student Cody Heeter, adviser for the IU Student Wellness Committee, said each panel member provided a different, yet critical, perspective for the
discussion. 

The panel covered a range of issues, including signs of an eating disorder, problems that can occur from an eating disorder and the different outlets on campus students can use for help,

Taylor-Shultz also emphasized the severity of all eating disorders by pulling out the funeral program of a client. Shultz said 20 percent of those who have anorexia die, and more people die from anorexia than any other mental illness.

“There’s too much focus on what’s wrong with my body and how I can make it better,” said Andrew Shea, a psychologist at IU Counseling and Psychological Services.

Heeter said this year’s Celebrate EveryBODY Week not only worked to bring about a sense of community at IU, but also helped students learn to harness positive self-esteem.

“You are not alone,” he said. “And you are more than your image.”