Students chow down for EDPA’s ‘No Diet Day’
Students indulge in their favorite foods for 'No Diet Day,' an international event to raise awareness about potential hazards of dieting.
By John A. Alzate
Published on Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Tabletops littered with Ghirardelli chocolate bars, slices of ham, graham crackers and mini eclairs attracted students to Collis Common Ground on Monday to commemorate International No Diet Day, an annual event to raise awareness about the adverse effects of dieting. Eating Disorder Peer Advisors and College Health Services coordinated the event at Dartmouth.
"We intend to make people aware of the dangers of dieting," said Kari Jo Grant, coordinator of Dartmouth's health education programs, which oversees EDPA. "You discover that you don't need to diet because it can be harmful for you."
Exhibits and handouts detailed the myths and facts about and the dangers of improper dieting, while audio excerpts from the documentary "Dieting: At War With Our Bodies" played in the background.
"The documentary describes people's struggles with dieting in the past," Grant said. "It also details the psychology behind dieting, why it doesn't work and why it isn't effective."
Individuals could also sign pledges to avoid dieting for the remainder of the day.
The event aimed to increase campus knowledge of the self-esteem issues associated with weight loss, according to many EDPAs.
"The 'No Diet Day' event is here to open up and foster discourse about a subject we don't discuss often enough," EDPA intern Courtney Chou '08 said. "I feel that events like these do raise awareness, even if they are not seen as prominent campus issues."
Many students who attended the event, though, expressed skepticism about its efficacy or, like Vishal Persaud '08, said they attended solely for the "free food."
"I don't think the event will change my mind about the topic -- most of the information is already well-known," Gina Lee '08 said. "I also feel it may not be that big of a problem here, since I imagine a lot of students to be healthier, happier and fitter than the average person."
Chou said she believed the event was successful, as she talked with several students openly about dieting and eating disorders, she said. Events like "No Diet Day" could help lessen the social stigma attached to eating disorders, she added.
International No Diet Day is May 6, but the EDPAs chose to hold Dartmouth's event on May 5 to avoid a scheduling conflict with another event being held in Common Ground.