CSUN Peer Education Group Shines a Light on Eating Disorders with Awareness Week

  • Students visit a table at the tabling fair.

    Booths at the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week tabling fair taught students about eating disorders and how to relieve stress. Photo by Lee Choo.

  • Tent with boxes of groceries

    After visiting several booths at the tabling fair, students received a free bag of fresh produce. Photo by Lee Choo.

  • Man at table with the acronym

    Many different organizations attended the tabling fair at National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Photo by Lee Choo.

  • Students made stress balls at the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week tabling fair. Photo by Lee Choo.

  • Students playing with puppies

    Playing with puppies is one way students could relieve stress at National Eating Disorder Awareness week. Photo by Lee Choo.

  • Two women present in front of group of students

    Lectures and guest speakers provided insight into important issues such as inner growth and acceptance at CSUN's National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Photo by Luis Garcia.

California State University, Northridge’s Joint Advocates for Disordered Eating (JADE) Peer Education Program sponsored National Eating Disorder Awareness Week on campus, Feb. 21-23.

The theme for this year’s week of programs was inner growth and acceptance of body size.

The events consisted of a variety of workshops, guest speakers, an eating disorder awareness museum, grocery giveaway and a campuswide tabling fair — featuring programs, organizations and departments that embodied this year’s theme.

The week kicked off on “Mirrorless Monday,” where organizers covered mirrors around campus with paper — to help students place less emphasis on personal appearance.

Mirrorless Monday also featured a lecture by Ellen Bauersfeld, a dietitian at the Klotz Student Health Center, on the subject of intuitive eating. An intuitive eater knows when they are hungry or full, and they are able to make food choices without experiencing guilt, she said. Bauersfeld spoke about different eating styles, noting that eating intuitively is the goal.

“The key for all of us is to find out what we really need,” said Bauersfeld. “How can I find out what I need in this moment?”

On Tuesday, JADE and other campus organizations set up booths in the University Student Union and hosted a tabling fair. Some booths featured information from different organizations and free activities that focused on growth and acceptance. After visiting all of the featured booths, students received a bag of free produce to take with them.

The week’s programs closed out on Wednesday with three guest speakers who addressed the theme of inner growth and acceptance, as well as one panel discussion — all free of cost.

“We’re trying to bring awareness to a very serious issue that’s going on in a lot of campuses across the country,” said Rosio Rosales, a senior sociology major and JADE peer educator. “[JADE] is trying to provide resources to those who are struggling.”