Archive of Events > "Get Real: Don't fight your genes, just change your jeans!"

BE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR GENES
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW) was celebrated February 20 - 24, 2006 at Wayne State College. The WSC Counseling Center hosted the Be Comfortable in your Genes event as a reminder to “Get Real: Don’t fight your genes, just change your jeans!” Through the Genes awareness project, the National Eating Disorders Association and WSC Counseling Center asked the public to think twice about trying to change our bodies to fit fashion and the pressures of our culture’s unattainable standards of beauty. Instead, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and the WSC Counseling Center are encouraging people to change the size of their jeans to fit their genes. After all, everybody, Every Body, deserves to feel comfortable and confident in their clothes!

The need for size-acceptance and eating disorders prevention is clear. In the United States, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males are struggling with the devastating, life-threatening effects of eating disorders anorexia and bulimia. Another 25 million suffer from binge eating disorder. At a sub-clinical level the National Eating Disorder Association reports that 80% of American women are dissatisfied with their bodies.

Across the country from February 20 – March 4, 2006 individuals and communities participated in events to raise awareness about body image and eating issues during NEDAW. The National Eating Disorders Association, a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Seattle, sponsors NEDAW in hopes of increasing the awareness and prevention of eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. During NEDAW, the National Eating Disorders Association challenged people to carefully consider and work to improve their own body attitudes. This event highlights the importance of getting real expectations, real role models, real information and real help while encouraging everyone to be comfortable in their genes by wearing comfortable jeans.

The National Eating Disorders Association established NEDAW in 1987 to help create a world where a person’s value is not weighed in pounds on a scale – a world where self-esteem is rooted in character and accomplishments rather than the size of one’s jeans. The National Eating Disorders Association works to create a culture that accepts and celebrates diversity in body shapes and sizes.

The WSC Counseling Center sponsored Linda Wetzel, RD., Licensed Medical Nutrition Therapist, in a presentation on February 22, 2006 at 2:00 PM in the Student Center Niobrara Room in a presentation about Body Image and Nutrition. Contact the WSC Counseling Center at 375-7321 about WSC events. For more information about the National Eating Disorders Association or National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, call 206-382-3587 or check out the NEDA website at www.NationalEatingDisorders.org.

Photos of the Genes Awareness program at WSC.

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Ron Vick, MA, LPC
Counselor / Academic Advisor
Int'l Student Advisor