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Research and Advocacy Articles: Click on the titles below to learn more Advocacy: Project to determine the effects of fat
caliper testing and exposure to stories about eating disorders in middle school
and/or high school? Research: Project to determine the effects of fat caliper testing and exposure to stories about eating disorders in middle school and/or high school? Help us examine these questions, we need your feedback.... Dear Healthy Within Visitors: Healthy Within is dedicated to the treatment and prevention of eating disorders. We are beginning a new project to determine various influences on body image and self-esteem. There are two questions we are current posing to young men and women to learn more about how their experiences in middle school and/or high school may have led to issues such as body hatred, body image issues and eating disorder behaviors. The first question we are posing is, " Were you affected in middle school or high school by a story of a person with their eating disorder?" We would like to determine how exposure to these stories may have had a positive or negative influence on your body image or related to the development of eating disorder behaviors. Secondly, "Did you ever have any kind of fat testing done in middle school or high school?" If, so how did this effect your perception of you body, your self esteem, etc? Please direct your responses to these questions to Dr. Divya Kakaiya with the word "Advocacy" in the subject line. Does your school use calipers to measure your child's body fat? In the September, 1993 issue of our newsletter, Working Together, ANAD reported on the practice in schools of using body fat measurement to determine the fitness of students. Apparently, not much has changed since then. The fat calipers/skin fold test was actually developed for use with triathletes, 25 years of age or older, according to the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis. The problem is that, for many years, this measurement has been used by school districts around the country to measure children in high schools, junior highs, and even grade schools. The result is that youngsters, who should be provided with adequate nutrition for their growing bodies, are instead going on diets because they think they are fat! ANAD Resource person and a concerned mother, Patti Bahnick, is doing something about this. When Patti's nine-year-old daughter told her about the fat testing that had been administered nine months earlier, her daughter had already begun to eliminate breakfast, bedtime snacks, and a significant portion of lunches and dinners from her diet. After discovering how common this reaction to the fat testing was among her daughter's classmates, Patti consulted with ANAD President, Vivian Meehan, and did some additional research on the subject. Armed with that research, she was able to convince officials in her own school district to eliminate fat testing. As PTA president of her local school, Patti presented her research at the Illinois state PTA convention, where a resolution was passed pledging to work toward the elimination of fat caliper testing throughout the state. In addition to working toward implementation of the resolution at the state level, Patti, with ANAD's help, is seeking to present the same resolution for the consideration of the national PTA at its convention in June, 2001. In order to do so, she is required to present adequate and substantial documentation as to the use of fat testing in schools in all 50 states. You can help! If you have information that the fat calipers/skin fold test or other fat testing is being used in your school, please obtain documentation as to what testing is being done and its repercussions on the students in your district. Specify grade levels or student age and type of fat testing done. If your school district has eliminated fat testing, please send documentation on why this was done. To get additional information on this issue, contact ANAD or e-mail Patti at pkbahnick@aol.com. Joining the Family Action Council of the Eating Disorders Coalition By joining the Family Action Coalition, as part of the EDC advocacy arm you will make a difference on Capitol Hill. Through the EDC lobby days, action alerts, congressional briefings and other advocacy efforts Members of Congress will hear your voice. In order to better address eating disorders policy makers need to continue hearing your stories of challenge, loss, as well as triumph. Though this movement to increase eating disorder awareness is exciting, there remains much to be accomplished. We still do not have legislation for mental health parity, which would help so many of us who currently are denied treatment coverage by health insurance companies. Research for better understanding eating disorders remains severely under-funded. Stigma and misperception plague families and people with eating disorders. With you, the EDC will continue to fight for parity, more research dollars and resources for education and outreach. By combining our energies we will succeed at changing federal policy. Together we can make a difference. Please include your annual membership dues with your application form. The four membership opportunities make it possible to join at a level that is comfortable for you. Families can join at any level and only pay one membership dues for the entire family. Student or Limited Resources Membership: $50 We are committed to having all who want to do so participate in the EDC and not be limited by lack of financial resources. Please choose this category if you are a student or otherwise have limited resources and need a lower level of membership. Benefits Include:
Bronze Membership: $100 Benefits Include:
Silver Membership: $300 Benefits Include:
Gold Membership: $500 Benefits Include:
The EDC is a collaboration of many groups who are working towards the common goal of influencing federal policy related to eating disorders. We extend to you our invitation to join the FAC knowing that each of us has a finite number of resources to share. If you are active in another organization and want to be part of the FAC we urge you to do so and to continue supporting your home organization. Simply mail a check or money order, with your level of
membership noted, to: If you have any questions please contact Celeste Pickard, Office Manager at (202) 737-4694 or manager@eatingdisorderscoalition.org. We hope that you will continue your support of EDC/FAC efforts and to share your stories and voices. Together, we can increase awareness, change policy, educate and move seemingly overwhelming mountains!
UCSD Researchers Seek Women Recovered from
Eating Disorders: This study is being done at UCSD to determine if the
brain can tell the difference incaloric content of food even if subjects cannot
consciously tell. Women ages of 18-45, who are right-handed and are recovered
from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa are eligible. This study involves the
completion of interviews, questionnaires, a taste test and an fMRI scan. The
total time commitment for this study is approximately 6-8 hours, which will be
spread out over the course of several weeks. The compensation for completion of
this study and all related materials will be $150. For more
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