The Fashion Industry fights back against eating disorders

Summer means different things to everyone. To many college students it means kicking back and enjoying the sun, yet for some it means a season of body-shaming and despair yearning for the perfect beach-ready body.

It’s hard to miss the never-ending sea of bikini-body propaganda spreading through the media this time of year. 

For the anorexic college student, this media only feeds the mental illness.

According to a survey of nearly 200 college students published by The Nutritional Journal, 58 percent felt pressure to be a certain weight, and of the 83 percent that dieted for weight loss, only 44 percent were of healthy weight.

The Public Health Service’s Office in Women’s Health conducted a study demonstrating that Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents, and when left untreated, eating disorders can lead to permanent physical damage ranging from hair loss to damage to the heart, osteoporosis and the inability to conceive.

A similar study by The Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders showed that 20 percent of people suffering from anorexia die prematurely due to the side effects of the disease, including suicide and heart attacks.

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder, and a suicide rate that is 50 times higher than that of the general population.

Whose to blame? The media, right?

Therese Waterhous, president and owner of Willamette Nutrition Source in Corvallis, gives insight on the matter.

“It’s not the media’s fault that people have eating disorders, but rather that they are brought on by genetic predispositions and other factors such as anxiety,” said Waterhous.

The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders states that nearly 70 percent of adolescent girls claim magazine images influence their ideals of a perfect body. "Pro-anorexia" forum-users post about watching fashion shows and skimming through magazines for "thinspiration."

Although the media is surely no help, it goes a lot deeper than just the glossy pages of a magazine.

That’s not to say that the media plays no role in the road to eating disorders. “If a young woman who already hates her body, promoting unrealistic images is only going to uphold the ‘thin ideal’ and make matters worse,” Waterhous said. “College students are often hard on themselves.”

The media may not be 100 percent at fault, but in some countries the fashion industry is starting to take a stand.
Just this spring France put a ban on employing underweight fashion models, guaranteeing modeling agencies and producers who break this law with up to six months in prison and an $82,000 fine.

Agencies now have to produce a medical report showing that their models have maintained a healthy mass-to-height ratio.

The law also indicates that any alteration "photoshop" of a model’s  bodies would have to be mentioned or that company will be in violation.

So what is considered underweight?

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, a healthy body-mass-index, or BMI, is anywhere from 18-24 percent.

What does this mean?

 
“People who suffer from eating disorders often tend to seek out sports or professions that idealize thinness. Being an underweight long-distance runner, for example, or modeling. 

Those fields both act as ‘safe havens’ for the individual, because it’s socially acceptable to be underweight in those situations,” said Waterhous.

In the same way that agencies used to protect models who were ill from facing their eating disorders, agencies in France are now able to protect models from feeling like they need to be thinner and thinner.

Oliver Veran, a neurologist and legislator who championed the anorexia measure, told the New York Times, "It's not just about protecting the models but also teenagers, because this body-image pressure also affects them and contributes to the emergence of eating disorders and tendencies to eat less and less."

 

Another expert, Marisol Touraine, a Health Minister of France was quoted, "It's important for fashion models to say that they need to eat well and take care of their health, especially for young women who look to the models as an aesthetic ideal."

Waterhous agrees that France’s new law was a good move. “If these students are seeing more realistic images, they are likely to be less hard on themselves,” she said.

Several members of Oregon’s own fashion community have strong feelings about the issue as well. Portland hair and makeup artist, Emily Mazour is excited about the new law, and thinks the impact will be significant.

“This bill is reaching so much global awareness that other countries will have no choice but to submit to these standards with or without laws within their countries,” said Mazour. “It just makes sense to choose healthy models.”

Fashion designer Oscar Lopez, featured as Portland Fashion Week’s 2014 Emerging Designer, has been influenced as well.

“I don't make size zero samples anymore because that is just not reasonable for a 16-20-year-old now days. I want my models to look real, and most of all, I want them to look happy,” said Lopez.

There are always two sides to any social legislation. Jeff Wong, attorney by day, fashion photographer by night, looks at the law with an objective eye.  

“Then there's the problem of ‘false positives’---women who are naturally thin and have low body fat who would be caught in the ban, even if they don't have an eating disorder.”

“There are lots of aspects with living where laws have been enacted to protect people from themselves.  We use to ban alcoholic beverages and you can't buy opiates without a prescription.  You can't ride a motorcycle without a helmet in most states.  There are always two sides with social legislation. It's always controversial.  Eating disorders unfortunately affect minors who aren't allowed to make a lot of their decisions,” said Wong. 

Although underweight models are still appearing in magazines across the globe, more and more companies are deciding to substitute “normal” looking models for the ultra thin. 

The research by Kai-Yu Wang, a marketing professor at Brock’s Goodman School of Business, shows that fashion brands can do this without impacting either the model's attractiveness rating or the product evaluation.    

The media is there to entertain and yes, sell things. Don't cringe at the thought of having to put on that swimsuit this summer. Embrace who you are and enjoy the sun-kissed days ahead.

At a glance:

• This spring France put a ban on employing underweight fashion models.
• Consequences: six months in prison and an $82,000 fine.
• The media does not cause eating disorders, but can influence pre-existing ones.
• On a college campus, 58% of students felt pressure to be a certain weight, and of the 83% that dieted for weight loss, only 44% were of healthy weight.
• 20% of people suffering from anorexia die prematurely.

Meal planning for college students

My calendar is filling up almost as fast as this term is wrapping up. We’re all looking forward to beach trips, backyard softball games, and hikes in the mountains, but all of these adventures leave little time for much else — especially cooking.

With recent studies linking obesity with fast-food consumption, many people are more mindful of what they are eating. Some have even tried cooking meals from scratch when possible. That’s a nice thought, right? Well, I’m pretty sure Betty Crocker isn’t trying to keep up with a college student’s schedule.

Balancing nutrition, a paycheck, and a crazy schedule is nearly impossible, but it can be done.

A few summers ago, while working as the cook on a farm in Central Oregon, I discovered the Holy Grail of meal planning for a busy lifestyle on a budget. After many frustrating nights of spending too much time in the kitchen, I soon developed a simple formula that has saved me hours of cooking-time.

I can make 15 casseroles in a morning, stick them in the freezer, and simply bake them as needed. The formula includes protein + carb + veggies + cheese + sauce. The variations are endless!

"We like casseroles because the flavors all marry together so nicely, creating unique textures that leave you with a crowd-pleaser every time," Better Homes and Garden Magazine (BHG) wrote.

It’s just like math! Take your equation and plug in your variables like so: ground beef + pasta + onions + bell peppers + mozzarella + tomato sauce = simple beef casserole! Examples of good sources of protein are ground beef, ground poultry, sausage, chopped chicken or turkey, or vegetarian options such as tofu or mushrooms.

A few carb variables that I like are pasta, rice, tortillas, or potatoes. I like to use whole grain pastas and brown rice to keep the nutritional value high, but this can be omitted. Next,  you have a multitude of vegetables, cheeses, and sauces.  

It’s important to pay attention to sauces. They dictate the flavor of the dish, and can make all the difference. I use tomato sauce, Alfredo sauce and barbecue sauce, or you can get away with none for a lighter dish. I make my sauce from scratch. It’s cheaper than buying it at the store, and healthier for you.

"Just make your own," BHG said. "In doing do you have so much freedom to customize the flavors."

Once you know which ingredients you want to cook with, you can start your assembly line.

Start by chopping your veggies, and preparing your “carb component” (i.e. boiling your pasta). If your meat is uncooked, you want to sauté it with your most-flavorful vegetables until it’s almost cooked through, before adding anything else. If your meat has already been cooked, you can add it to your veggies after they have been sautéed for a few minutes.

Next add any spices, herbs, or seasonings that tickle your fancy. When the meat and veggies are cooked through, you can stir in your prepared carb and sauce choices and let it all simmer for a few minutes. Next stir in your cheese, or sprinkle it on top once you’ve transferred your meal into a baking dish.

If I’m only cooking for myself, I freeze individual portions in Tupperware containers that can be microwaved in a pinch. If I am feeding my work crew on the farm, I use a 9-x-13-inch pan and bake the casserole for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

This process takes about 15 minutes. This may seem like a lot of time, but the secret here is that you can be making multiple casseroles at once within those 15 minutes.

Pat Widenoja works in Christmas Valley, Ore., and specializes in Family Medicine.

"Casseroles are a great ways to incorporate ingredients from all the food groups into your diet without a lot of hassle," Widenoja said. "Variety is key in nutrition, and an easy formula like this make's variety easy."

You can start your very own Subway-sandwich assembly line, and before you know it, you can have a whole stack of different casseroles in your freezer. One Sunday morning, or one free Thursday afternoon, can guarantee you a week or two of easy, affordable, and nutritious meals that won’t take away from your summer adventuring.

At a Glance: 

• Casseroles are quick, easy, affordable, and a nutritious way to deal with a busy schedule. 


• The magic equation: protein + carb + veggies + cheese + sauce


• Freeze several casseroles in individual portions so you can mix and match all week long!
• Try topping a casserole with pie crust to switch things up a little! Make your own, or use the ready-made kind.
• Allrecipes.com has great casserole ideas, including ones under 300 calories.
• One serving only costs about 50 cents to make.
• Use whole-grain carb-sources for higher nutritional value.


• Check out this easy white sauce from allrecipes.com!

Student Conductor Nick Leonard debuts at spring concert

This spring 21-year-old Nick Leonard was selected as the LBCC Concert Choir student conductor, making his conducting debut Thursday, June 4.

Leonard’s passion for music began at age 10 when his music teacher taught him that there’s more beauty in making music than he originally thought.

“She showed me that I could do bigger and better things,” he said.

That little spark sent Leonard into a musical explosion.

Throughout middle and high school years, Leonard played the clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, as well as percussion instruments. It wasn’t until two years ago, when he started his rehearsal and performance special studies at LBCC, that he got into the technical side of music.

According to James Reddan, professor of music and director of choral activities, becoming a student conductor is no easy feat. It’s competitive, and only a few are chosen once a year.

“They write a proposal to be a student conductor and they are selected based on their technical skill and their proposal,” said Reddan.

The real challenge comes upon acceptance.

“Being a student conductor is like on-the-job training. You learn the skills first and then you are put to the test.” said Reddan.

According to Reddan, it’s all about trial and error.

“Nick is handling everything and growing as a musician, leader, and teacher through this process. It is a wonderful experience for me helping the conductors grow.”

Reddan added that being a student conductor is a great opportunity for students to expand their knowledge of music and of people.

Choir students such as music major McKayla Ricks, 20, mentioned that watching Leonard’s confidence and poise in front of the class, she’d never know that it’s his first time in a teaching position.

“Most people think that standing in front of a crowd is something stressful, but for me it’s almost like a comfortable place…as long as I know what I’m doing,” said Leonard. “You’ve just got to put on your director’s face and know that you actually have a lot more control than you think.”

The choir students have enjoyed having Leonard in front of the class this term.

"Having a student conductor is pretty cool because it’s a change from what we usually do,” said music major Leland Holden.

Ricks and Holden agreed that the students like Leonard’s song choice, “Deep River,” composed by Matthew Culloton. Ricks likes the African-American spiritual so much she is going to try to learn it on her violin.

“Nick is learning a lot and growing a lot through this process. He is sure to give a stellar job at the spring concert,” said Reddan.

At a glance:

• Nick Leonard is the 2015 student conductor.
• He will be debuting Thursday, June 4th at LBCC's Singing From the Heart
• Nick is 21years old and is majoring in music. 
• Outside of school, Nick likes playing music with friends.

  Tickets are $10 online or at the door.