CSUF Eating Disorder Task Force is one of the on-campus resources addressing high prevalence of disorders shown in 2014 study

Daily Titan

Since 2015, the Eating Disorder Task Force at Cal State Fullerton has provided direct services and education consultations to students, faculty and staff seeking help for eating disorders.
A 2014 survey from Healthy Minds Network found that CSUF had a 10 percent eating disorder presence on campus, said Kevin Thomas, Psy. D., a licensed psychologist with CSUF’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) in an email.
The Eating Disorder Task Force has been aiming to decrease that number.
“Today’s younger generation is growing up in a culture where comparison is innate,” said Sarah Lipson, assistant professor at the University of Michigan and associate director for the Healthy Minds Network. “Based on empirical evidence, the (eating disorder) prevalence rate on college campuses seems to be three times higher than the rate of treatment. It’s a huge lost opportunity for early treatment or intervention.”
An eating disorder is an illness fueled by “extreme emotions, attitudes and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues,” according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). Eating disorder symptoms can be found in the DSM-V, meaning they are both a psychological and physical illness.
CSUF tested three percent higher than the national average for eating disorders, according to the Healthy Minds Network study.
The Healthy Minds Network is a research team, “dedicated to improving the mental and emotional well-being of young people,” according to their website.
Lipson said in an email that the study is an online survey comprised of questions that deal with depression, anxiety and eating disorders. She said college students represent a vulnerable group to develop eating disorders because “the traditional college years (ages 18 to 22) coincide with age of onset for eating disorders.”
“Research has shown that eating disorders tend to more commonly occur when there are major life transitions,” Thomas said.
The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, a disorder characterized by an obsessive ...

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