7 Signs Your College-Age Child May Have an Eating Disorder
Adjusting to college life can be an overwhelming experience. In addition to new academic expectations, your college student may have had trouble getting used to eating in a dining hall, living with others, or taking on more responsibilities. When your college student comes home for the winter break, there may be some changes in their weight, eating habits, and exercise routines.
Academic stress, social pressures, and college diet culture can all contribute to disordered eating. Look out for these potential eating disorder signs when your college student is home for winter break.
7 Signs of Eating Disorders
1. Cutting Out Food Groups
Suddenly dairy is a no-go or carbs are the enemies. Maybe your omnivore teenager is now a strict vegan. When someone cuts out entire food groups from their diet, it may be a sign of disordered eating.
2. Refusing Dessert
You know your college student has a sweet tooth. But over the holidays, they start declining desserts– including their favorites that you’ve made for years. They might say they are skipping the sweets due to “health reasons,” but be wary. This preference might turn into “no sweets ever” and other rigid food rules.
3. Dieting
Not everyone who diets will develop an eating disorder, but all diets involve disordered eating. If you notice your college student reading nutrition labels, counting calories, or using phrases like “keto,” “clean eating,” or “intermittent fasting,” pay attention.
4. Exercising Obsessively
College offers wonderful opportunities to discover new sports, hobbies, and activities. So when is going to the gym an obsession? If your college student is following a strict exercise schedule, never misses a workout, and gets very frustrated and irritable when plans conflict with their workout schedule, they may be struggling with exercise addiction.
5. Eating in Secret
Binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa often involve eating large quantities in secret. If you don’t see your college student eating much with others, but find evidence that they have been hiding food, they may be binge eating.
6. Saving Room for Drinking (‘Drunkorexia’)
This pattern of disordered eating may not be noticeable at home when your college student is away from campus friends and parties. Drunkorexia involves “saving” calories for alcohol by eating less before a night of drinking.
7. Losing Weight
Noticeable weight loss in your college student may be an indication of disordered eating or overexercising, but keep in mind that eating disorders don’t have to cause weight loss in order to be harmful.
How to Talk to Your College Student About Eating Disorders
If you notice your college student is dieting or eating in a way that is concerning, you can help before things get worse. Here are some do’s and don’ts of talking about eating disorders with your college student.
DO Educate Yourself.
There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding eating disorders. Take the time to research different types of eating disorders, and never assume anything about what your child might be experiencing.
DON’T Diagnose
Do not start the conversation with “I think you have an eating disorder.” This may come across as an accusation. No one wants to be diagnosed by an armchair psychologist.
DO Focus on Their Feelings
Instead of addressing their behaviors right off the bat, ask your college student how they are feeling.
DON’T Jump Into Action Without Their Knowledge
You’re worried and you want your child to get help. It might be natural for you to want to start calling doctors and therapists or the school. But remember that your college student is over 18, and they’ve gained a lot of independence over the last few months. Going behind their back to schedule appointments breaks trust.
DO Collaborate With Your College Student
Ask your student about the mental health resources, support groups, counseling, and/or nutrition/dietitian services offered on their college campus. Keep in mind that at this stage, it’s unlikely that your college student will think they have any eating issues at all, or if they do, they may refuse to acknowledge them. Your child may shut down any conversation about your concerns altogether.
As a parent, you know your child best. If you are seeing signs that are worrying you, let them know you are concerned and be upfront that you are scheduling an appointment with their pediatrician or doctor for a check-up, including weight and vitals, as well as setting them up with a therapist and dietitian for an assessment. Early intervention and support improve the prognosis for a full and lasting recovery.
What You Can do to Help Your College Student With an Eating Disorder
We are glad you are reading this blog for guidance. Kindful Body can serve as a resource to help you learn more about eating disorders and the eating disorder treatment process. If you are located in California you can contact us for support. We offer virtual eating disorder therapy and nutrition counseling to college students all throughout California.
Interested in Nutrition Counseling or Eating Disorder Treatment in Santa Barbra, CA?
If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, don’t hesitate to reach out. Learn how online nutrition counseling in California with a Kindful Body therapist can help provide you with support and the coping skills you need to manage your eating disorder. To get started, please follow these simple steps:
Schedule a free 15-minute video consultation to learn how we can help you
Meet with one of our caring eating disorder therapists
Begin to recover from your eating disorder
Other Services Available at Kindful Body
Kindful Body offers support for low self-esteem issues, emotional eating recovery, nutrition counseling, binge eating disorder, and body image. When you’re ready, we are here to help you with your eating disorder recovery. We offer eating disorder treatment in Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland/Berkeley, Walnut Creek, San Mateo, Orange County, CA, or anywhere online in California. Learn more about us by checking out our blog and FAQs page!
Here are our previous blogs in this college series that you may share with your college student:
Are You Afraid Of The Freshman 15?