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Many students diet, few seek treatment for eating disorders

04/02/2013 20:47:00

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. - A University of Michigan campus survey on attitudes and behaviors around eating found that students diet regularly, dislike their bodies, fear gaining weight and seldom seek help for eating disorders.

Researchers also found that six out of 10 U-M undergraduates had become more concerned about their bodies after starting school, and that 10 percent were purging in some way—vomiting and/or using laxatives, diuretics or diet pills.

The online survey, U-SHAPE: University Study of Habits, Attitudes and Perceptions around Eating, is believed to be the first comprehensive research of its kind.

A multidisciplinary team of faculty, researchers and counselors from the U-M School of Public Health, School of Education, Medical School, University Health Service (UHS), Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and Ann Arbor's Center for Eating Disorders surveyed 10,000 undergraduates and graduate students in October 2012. The findings from 3,088 responses can be generalized to the full student body and have important implications for policy and practice, the researchers said.