[CUCBC Captains] Eating Disorders Awareness Week: Eating Disorders in Sport- information and request!

[R.S. O'Neill]

Hello, I may have already been in touch, but if not, my name is Rosa 
O'Neill and I'm the CUSU Eating Disorders Awareness officer. Eating 
Disorders in sport are a massive but often hidden and stigmatised problem, 
which can prevent recognition of issues and sufferers seeking help. As part 
of Eating Disorders awareness week (21s-27th feb), I would really really 
appreciate it if you could send the following email and the attatchments 
around your mailing lists. If you feel uncomfortable doing so, it would be 
great if you sent it around commitee memebers and coaches.

I will be running a training/dsicussion session this thursday 5-6pm (see 
details below)- it would be great if you could attend in order for it to be 
a dynamic and productive session. The session might be particualry useful 
for committee memebers and coaches, but anyone who is interested is more 
than welcome to attend!

Thanks very much,
Rosa O'Neill
CUSU Eating Disorders Support Officer
 
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Hello,

We may have already met, but if not, my name is Rosa O'Neill, and I'm the
CUSU Eating Disorders support officer. Eating Disorders affect 1 in 4
people in their lives, the majority between the ages of 16 and 25.

Among sportspeople, the percentage affected may be at least 10% higher than
the national average. There still remains a large amount of stigma and
stereotypes about Eating Disorders, which often prevent sufferers seeking
help, and in sports particularly it can be hard to distinguish between
careful training and diet and disordered eating. Sports-specific anorexia -
sometimes called 'anorexia athletica' or 'female athlete's triad' is a
specific, but very much underpublicized issue, which presents differently,
and can be harder to recognise, to other eating disorders.

While it is often the case than a lower than average, or sometimes lower
than medically recommended, weight is desirable for optimum performance,
the maintenance of a low weight in an unsupervised or excessive way has the
potential to become extremely damaging, both as a sportsperson, and to
general health.

>From the 21st to the 27th of February it is National Eating Disorders
Awareness week, which aims to raise awareness and increase knowledge of
Eating Disorders and fight the stigma and taboos which are so detrimental
to sufferers. As part of this campaign, I would really like to raise the
profile and increase knowledge of eating disorders and sport- what they
are, how they affect sufferers, and ways in which to support and help
sufferers.

I will be running an informal TRAINING SESSION on Eating Disorders in sport 
on THURSDAY 24th February between 5 and 5.45pm. This will be a chance to 
learn about issues, ask questions, and discuss experiences, problems and 
prevention. This will hopefully be an interactive and productive session 
which will highlight key problems at Cambridge and help shape plans and 
campaigns for the future. This session is OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED. The 
session will be run in two halves; first talking about Eating Disorders 
Generally, and secondly about Eating Disorders in relation to sport. Feel 
free to attend as much or as little as you would like- if you only wish to 
attend the secod half, just arrive around 5.20.

If you would like to attend please email me (Rosa O'Neill, Robinson 
College) at

eds at cusu.cam.ac.uk
or 
rso24 at cam.ac.uk

If you can't make the session, or have any other questions, comments, 
suggestions or would like more information, please do get in touch!

Finally, attached are two leaflets, the first outlines support available in 
Cambridge, and the second is a leaflet which includes information on

£	Eating Disorders in Sport
£	Recognising sports-specific disordered eating
£	Understanding sports-specific disordered eating
£	Prevention
£	Recommended best practice for ideal weight and weight loss
£	Worried about a friend or tea-mate?
£	Sources of help and advice

For further information on supporting a friend and other issues, check out 
the CUSU website (www.cusu.cam.ac.uk). Please do get in touch for any 
reason,

Rosa O'Neill

CUSU Eating Disorders Support Officer 2009-10 & 2010-11
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