Annual "Love Your Body Week" comes to Plymouth State

Feb. 24 through Mar. 1 is National Eating Disorder Week. The week is dedicated to furthering education about the negative effects of eating disorders.

Each year, the National Eating Disorder Association chooses a theme to coincide with their cause. According to the groups website, www.nationaleatingdisorders.org this year's theme is "Be comfortable in your genes. Wear jeans that fit the true you."

The group suggests there are a number of factors that contribute to one's body shape, genes being one of the most important. The group also sponsors "The great jeans giveaway," which encourages women to donate jeans that do not comfortably fit as a form of empowerment. According to NEDA's website, they are the "largest non profit organization in the United States working to prevent eating disorders."

Plymouth State University recognizes National Eating Disorder Awareness week in its own creative way. "Love Your Body Week," has been hosted by Plymouth State University's Health and Wellness club for the past ten years.

"We decided to call it Love Your Body Week because we didn't think anyone would be interested in attending events under the name National Eating Disorder Awareness Week," Mardie Burckes Miller said. Miller works for the Health and Human Performance Department at PSU and is in charge of "Love Your Body Week." "National Eating Disorder Awareness week has been recognized for around 20 years," Miller said.

Numerous events were scheduled in recognition of "Love Your Body Week." While some of the events are original to this year, other exhibits related to "Love Your Body Week" are always on display during the week.

A life sized exhibit of how manufactures have changed dress size standards over the past few decades. For example, in 1987 a woman who was five foot three inches tall and 120 pounds would have worn a size 14 dress. In 2008, the standards have changed. A woman of the same dimensions would now most likely wear a size two, "This reflects how the industry has changed to reflect the average American woman over the past few decades," Miller said.

Miller is a volunteer coordinator for the yearly event. "When Love Your Body Week" was first celebrated on campus ten years ago the Health and Wellness Club created a life sized Barbie. Students took the proportions of a Barbie doll and stretched it to resemble what she would resemble if she were a real person. If Barbie were real, she would stand seven feet two inches tall, have a bust size of forty inches, have a waist size of twenty-two inches and have a hip size of thirty-six inches. Her neck alone would be seven inches long. All the events held during the week have reflected the idea of positive body image. Special exercise programs were held during the week as an effort to make exercise more attainable for students, "It's also about the acceptance of all sizes," Miller said," We do it to promote positive body image," she added.