Investigating eating disorders at Warwick: performance, pressure and perfectionism

Concerns have been raised by several Warwick students over the provision for those suffering from eating disorders and mental health issues in the Coventry area.

Different studies identify that the most common age bracket to suffer from anorexia and other disorders ranges from 12-23, with the average recovery time from anorexia being seven years. What many have concluded is that university students are the most likely group to be suffering from such disorders, which have the highest death rate of any psychiatric disorder.

One student said: “Whilst the Coventry Eating Disorder Service (CEDS) does offer outpatient treatment, it is extremely limited and ineffective for those with severe forms of bulimia like myself. Instead of effective treatment, I was advised to drop out of university for a year and seek treatment in the York Retreat Hospital 3 hours away”.

University of York… students must have a minimum BMI of 15 to be considered ‘fit to study’

“Another issue is that CEDS only offers group service treatment, inconsiderate of those who are highly self-conscious of their condition, which is usually the case”.

Whilst the university does not offer any inpatient or outpatient services, the Mental Health and Wellbeing team were keen to stress that they are working to improve their services to help students with these conditions, with one representative telling the Boar: “One member of the University Counselling Service is completing specialist training to become a master practitioner in working with eating disorders, qualifying through the National Centre for Eating Disorders”.

The team also emphasised that, while they could not detail if there had been an increase in students requesting support specifically for eating disorders, there has been an increase in the number of students overall requesting support for mental health and wellbeing issues over the last year.

Ellen Holmes, Warwick SU’s Welfare & Campaigns Sabbatical Officer, mirrored this sentiment, informing the Boar that “As far as I’m aware, the university nor the Students’ Union currently has anything in place to help those who struggle with an eating disorder. However, it’s a key priority for myself and the Welfare Exec this year”.

Nationwide, studies such as that from the Institute of Public Policy Research have found that there has been an increase in students reporting mental health conditions. Specifically, there has been a five-fold increase in students who disclose a mental health condition over the past 10 years.

Some UK universities, such as the University of York, specify in their Fitness to Study Guidelines that students must have a minimum BMI of 15 to be considered ‘fit to study’. Prospective students with a BMI lower than 15 are often advised by universities to take a year out to focus on increasing their BMI.

However, the Centre for Disease and Control’s (CDC) guidelines on BMI ranges classifies measurements under 18.5 as underweight, putting York’s ‘fitness to study’ boundary well below what is normally classified as ‘underweight’.

Are university students more likely to be affected?

While there have been alleged links made between higher IQs and disorders of the mind, suggesting that students at leading universities are more likely to suffer, this is not necessarily correct. A paper in 2015 in the British Journal of Psychiatry reports that, in a sample of 1,881 individuals, those who demonstrate the top 10% of “manic features” (measured at age 22-23 by a questionnaire known as the HCL-32) had IQ scores nearly 10 points higher than those in the bottom 10% of manic traits. In other words, if you have a higher IQ when young, you may report higher manic traits as an adult.

However, recent research has suggested that it is more related to environmental factors, as opposed to a high IQ. According to Louis Theroux in his most recent documentary Talking to Anorexia, a person’s IQ is not as significant as their personality type.

For example, those on the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) spectrum are more likely to suffer eating disorders. OCD has been associated also with academic drive for perfectionism and a controlling personality, personality traits perhaps commonly seen in a university environment.

With the extreme academic pressure applied to those in the top universities, one of Warwick’s students confessed that they felt that “bulimia gave me an excuse not to be perfect”. This resonates with Theroux’s case study of 60 year old Janet, who suggested that her anorexia arose not from “all this psychological stuff” but the plain desire to not want to “grow up”.

Are eating disorders and associated mental conditions on the rise in men?

The Beat Charity has outlined on their website that university students are amongst those most at risk, specifically girls and young women aged 12-20. However, contrary to the stereotype of what it means to be ‘masculine’, eating disorders are in fact an increasing issue amongst males. The Daily Mirror published an article on 26 October 2017 stating that “men are hiding a body image secret as more and more admit they struggle with their looks” with the claim that “almost as many men as women suffer from bulimia”. Figures from their research show a rise of 70% in hospital admissions for men with issues such as these between 2010 and 2016.

Eating disorders in recent years have also been linked to the increase in steroid use amongst men of this age range. According to The Guardian in 2015: “more than half the athletes currently serving bans from UK Anti-Doping are rugby union or rugby league players. Many are young amateurs or lower-level players trying to bulk up to make the grade in an increasingly power-driven game”.

When questioned as to whether he thought this was an issue at Warwick, Warwick’s Men’s Rugby captain, Matt Key, told the Boar that: “this year Warwick Performance has held seminars and conditioning sessions with our players, not so much to target steroid use or body dysmorphia but instead to help with the understanding of physical development”.

Whilst cases of body dysmorphia are also on the rise, the spokesman for the Warwick Barbell society highlights the view that social media is the most significant factor increasing pressure for young men, stating: “The pressure to have a certain physique, as we see it, is more likely to come from social media at large, as opposed to an environment like university”.

Coherent with the aims of the Wellbeing Centre, the club also emphasised that “Mental health and body image are issues that we take seriously as some of our members have or have had disorders in the past. We strive to be a positive and supportive environment for people to feel comfortable in”.

One student interviewed by the Boar, noted the need to stay mindful in the lead up to the festive season, summarising: “it’s a time of struggle due to the large amount of food associated with the event”.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues discussed in this article, please contact the SU Advice centre on 02476 572 824 or email at advice@warwicksu.com.