Introduction

Hello …

Welcome to the OUSU Eating Disorders Handbook, which I hope will provide you with a useful overview of accessing support as an Oxford student. Sadly, the evidence suggests that students at Oxford are more susceptible to eating disorders. In a study within an Oxford University College (Sell and Robson, 1998) 36% of the female respondents reported having experienced eating disorders at some point in their lives, while 10% reported an existing eating disorder. This compares with estimates of 1% of women aged 15-30 generally suffering from anorexia, a similar percentage of all women suffering from bulimia and 3% from binge eating disorder (Bird, 1999). According to Dr Nicky Boughton, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Warneford Hospital: “The people that are vulnerable to eating disorders tend to have perfectionist personalities. The whole system reinforces the  view that if you don’t do exceptionally well, then you may as well not bother. Students can become very insecure when they realise that maybe they’re not the best.”

A recent survey by the Cherwell Oxford student newspaper indicated a high continuing prevalence of eating disorders: ‘61% of students said that they knew more than one sufferer of disordered eating, and considered anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating to be a real problem within the University. Almost 40% of those students who suffered from disordered eating considered anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating to be a real problem within the University. Almost 40% of those students said that life at Oxford had definitely been a contributing factor to their illness, with an additional third stating that it had possibly aggravated their illness.’ Cherwell, 2nd November 2007.

Many aspects of Oxford student life are potentially exacerbatory: pressure to excel; college social events which often revolve around meals in Hall; lack of catering facilities in some colleges. However, we are also fortunate in having an abundance of welfare provision, as I hope this handbook shows. Awareness of the prevalence and impact of disordered eating is on the rise within the University community, and support for sufferers is improving all the time.

Thanks must go to all those who contributed to this handbook: first and foremost to the anonymous profile writers, whose courage and fortitude in sharing their experiences I cannot sufficiently praise. Invaluable contributions were also made by Dr Deborah Waller (GP), Elsa Bell (University Counselling Service), Dr Henrietta Leyser (St Peter’s), Abbie Pringle (Experimental Psychology), Sarah Stillman (St John’s), and Mark Taylor (Nuffield). Lastly, my thanks go to Hannah Roe, OUSU VP (Women), without whose dedicated involvement, and watchful eye, this Guide could not have been produced.

Siân Renwick (Editor)