Campaign For Real Beauty

Dove launched a global campaign back in 2004 that is now known as the DOVE Campaign for Real Beauty--I thought it was definitely worth mentioning for many reasons. The purpose of this campaign is to bring about change on a widespread scale by encouraging women to discuss and explore the definition of true beauty, as well as broaden the stereotypes that they hold about beauty. According to statistics compiled from a global study performed by Dove, only 2% of women believe they are beautiful. They also found that the majority of women define beauty as being thin, young and blonde. Based on these statistics and others (which can be accessed on Dove's website), Dove decided to take action by targeting young girls for the purpose of helping to address the issue of self-esteem.

There are many great resources on this site for young girls as well as teenagers, including quizzes, blogs, videos and more. These can be accessed by visiting Dove's website at www.campaignforrealbeauty.com.

One of my favorite things that Dove has done is to produce a few short videos that explore our perception of beauty, as well as how the media influences our perceptions of what is beautiful. I will post a few links so that you can view them if you would like. They are really great! The first one is called Evolution and documents a photo shoot from beginning to end, including the final image that we, as consumers/society, end up viewing. You can watch it by clicking HERE. The second one is my favorite- it gives me chills!! Click HERE to view it.

For more information on Dove's Campaign For Real Beauty, visit their website (link above).

Finding Balance

I recently came across a website that is a great resource for anyone struggling with disordered eating. The site is www.findingbalance.com and can be accessed by clicking HERE. Finding Balance is a faith-based nonprofit whose goal is to provide resources, support, information and encouragement for those struggling with food issues.

This site was started after a study was published in SELF magazine in 2008 by Cynthia Bulik, director of UNC's Eating Disorder Program, which reported that 75% of women have eating issues of some kind. This statistic is astounding. The creator of Finding Balance, Constance Rhodes, author of Life Inside the Thin Cage, was inspired to create the site as a way of reaching out to the many girls and women who struggle with food issues, as a tool to help and encourage. To read about Constance and her journey of recovery from disordered eating, click here. The site also aims to eliminate the stigma associated with eating and body image issues. For more information, visit the site at www.findingbalance.com.

Thoughts on the Freshman 15, Courtesy of Newsweek...

This fall, Newsweek Magazine wrote an article entitled "Rethinking The Freshman Fifteen." I was immediately drawn to this article for obvious reasons, as I work with eating disorders, but I also remember the hysteria surrounding the ominous freshman fifteen that I was bombarded with when going off to college. I remember hearing about these alleged 15 pounds that my fellow freshman and I needed to watch out for- relatives, people in my dorm, my RA, friends, professors, strangers who found out I was a freshman, etc... it all felt just a little bit much. What I liked about this article is that it highlights an at risk group- college freshman, and really, college students in general- but it also highlights a cultural notion- the freshman fifteen, which can trigger disordered eating in many college students who begin to fixate on not wanting to gain these 15 pounds.

While we know that each person responds differently to environmental stimuli, we also know that the trend in college dining halls to display caloric and nutritional information for all food being served has been difficult for some people. For this reason, Harvard University pulled the caloric and nutritional information from their dining halls last year, instead opting to feature it online for those who were interested. For some who may be recovering or trying to recover from an eating disorder, this information is triggering and may prove to be detrimental. For others who struggle with disordered eating, or for those who have no history of eating issues, the presence of such information can bring about an unhealthy awareness. The argument that a school like Yale makes (Yale University refuses to remove this information in their dining halls) is that obesity in our country is rising, and this is a helpful way to encourage healthy eating and weight management.

What stands out in my mind (click HERE to read this article) is not so much the debate over whether or not to display caloric and nutritional information about the food being served in dining halls, but how we help to engage college students in healthy ways of living. The number of EDNOS diagnoses (Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified- a diagnostic term which includes disordered eating behaviors that do not meet the exact criteria for anorexia and/or bulimia) has doubled, and according to a statistic in this article from the American College Health Association, 38 percent of college students are using eating disordered behaviors to manage weight. The need for education, therapy and healthy approaches to our bodies and food is something that we ALL need, but this article just reminds me that college students are at risk. Prevention efforts aimed at college students, as well as treatment, is essential.

Effects of Parent's Deployment on Children

A recent study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics reports that a third of kids who have a parent who has been deployed is at greater risk for developing psychological problems. More research needs to be done, but what is clear is that kids who have a parent who has been/is deployed have been identified as 'at-risk.' Parents of these kids need to be aware of this, as it relates to the support that their kids may need. Not all kids are affected the same way and this study does not mean all kids with a deployed parent will have psychological problems. What it does mean is that parents need to be aware and can aim to prevent such issues by providing a supportive environment, and seeking professional help if needed.

Information retrieved from this article. For more information, follow the link to read the article.