Managing emotional eating will be the subject of a program this afternoon aimed at curbing harmful eating habits as part of body image awareness week.

Natasha Schnell, graduate assistant and counselor for University Resources for Women, will present an hour-long event at noon today in Blackhawk West. She will have a self-assessment on hand that will help people determine their triggers for detrimental eating habits, as well as discuss alternatives to emotional eating.

Schnell said that food use has evolved into something more than ever intended in today’s culture.

"I think in our society, food really satisfies a lot more needs than substance and nutrition," Schnell said. "People use food to celebrate. People use food for socializing. People usually have emotional connections to food."

Schnell hopes to have her audience examine their eating habits to find out their underlying causes.

"I think the first key is just being aware of your triggers and recognizing the difference between actual hunger and emotional hunger," she said. "Basically, it’s helping people take a look at what cues they have when they are eating. Are they eating when they are hungry or at there other thing such as anger or loneliness? Then it’s substituting alternative behaviors when it’s not actual physical hunger. Journaling or talking with others would be alternatives, as would getting involved around social groups that don’t involve food."

Schnell emphasizes that her program is no substitute for substantive treatment.

However, NIU does offer substantive treatment for eating disorders at the Counseling and Student Development Center.

The Center sees students dealing with the three main eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders. Anorexia is characterized by an abnormal fear of becoming obese, a distorted self-image, a persistent unwillingness to eat and severe weight loss. Bulimia is characterized by episodic binge eating and followed by feelings of guilt, depression and self-condemnation. It is often associated with measures taken to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, the use of laxatives, dieting or fasting. Binge-eating disorder is a loss of control over eating results in binges, as in bulimia, but no methods are used to compensate for it.

Barbara Fouts, assistant director of the center, said that college students are particularly at risk when it comes to eating disorders.

"College students are particularly venerable to eating disorders," she said. "College is a time of major change and people have more freedom, students tend to overeat and use food to make themselves feel good. Then they diet in order to make themselves feel good. It’s a vicious cycle."

Jennifer Panning, a counselor at the center, said that treatment is a difficult process.

"With eating disorders, it’s somewhat tricky to treat them because it’s so complex because recovery can be a long and difficult process," she said. "Sometimes it can be tough if the person might be so involved with their eating disorder, that they can’t see it themselves."

Fouts said that the center offers a team-oriented treatment approach. Psychologists, who deal with emotional factors and what’s leading to the disorder; nutritionists, who can help setup healthier eating plans; and physicians, who can monitor the process and provide medication if necessary; are all involved in helping students through the process.

Students also are encouraged to attend the weekly Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders Support Group from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the University Resources for Women.

Students who think they might suffer from an eating disorder can call the Counseling and Student Development Center at 753-1206, or visit its office on the second floor of the Campus Life Building.