[318] Students Offer Food For Thought On Eating Disorders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 17, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

STUDENTS OFFER FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON EATING DISORDERS
MTSU Group Raises Awareness Just for the Health of It

(MURFREESBORO) – The Middle Tennessee Eating Disorder Group will host National Eating Disorder Awareness Week events from Feb. 22-26 at various locations on the MTSU campus. All events, which are part of the university’s celebration of National Women’s History Month, are free and open to the public.
“The aim is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues,” says Tara Prairie, director of Learning Assurance and Compliance in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and faculty advisor to the student organization. “We meet every Wednesday to provide a safe and friendly place to discuss these topics.”
On Monday, Feb. 22, the group will run Jean Kilbourne’s documentary “Still Killing Us Softly” in Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building.
In a review of the 1987 film for All Movie Guide, Betsy Boyd opined, “By emphasizing the dehumanization of women by television's body-image obsession, Kilbourne teaches viewers how America is taught to categorize women primarily as sex objects. She arms viewers with tools for communication and suggestions for opening an empowering dialogue."
Serafine Jefferey, founder of Her Power, will speak at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, in Room 106 of the Honors Building. Jefferey describes herself on the Her Power Web site (www.herpower.org) as “23 years young” and “in recovery from an eating disorder and substance abuse.”
She states that her mission with Her Power is “to use writing, art, and all forms of the creative voice to spread her message, reaching as many people as possible regarding eating disorder and substance abuse information, resources, and the journey of the overall healing process.”

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From noon-3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, posters will be set up on the second floor of the Keathley University Center for those interested to write how they feel about their body image.
The Eating Disorder Coalition of Tennessee (EDCT) will offer a presentation by Beth Lamb at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25, in the meeting room of the Health, Wellness & Recreation Center. Lamb is “a licensed clinical social worker in private practice specializing in eating and co-occurring disorders,” according to www.edct.net. Prairie says Lamb will talk about body image in college and eating disorders in males.
Friday, Feb. 26, is “All Day Healthy Balance Day” with information about healthy eating provided in the Health, Wellness & Recreation Center.
For more information about National Eating Disorder Awareness Week at MTSU, contact Prairie at 615-898-2921 or tprairie@mtsu.edu.


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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.