UNC eating disorder blog recognized

In 10 years, UNC’s Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders has not only helped patients deal with their diseases but also established a strong — even global — online presence to raise awareness.

Exchanges, the center’s blog, was acknowledged by Heathline, a medical resource website, as one of the 18 best eating disorder blogs of 2013.

Lauren Metzger, research assistant at the center and editor of Exchanges, said the employees were happy with the amount of followers the blog has garnered and the enthusiasm around it.

“We are really excited and proud of the material that we are able to put out,” she said.

Exchanges is a blog that presents information on eating disorders based on the center’s mission to provide clinical care, education and research.

The site has a variety of takes on eating disorders — everything from academic studies to book reviews on the topic.

There are even articles detailing the pregnancies of celebrities and misrepresentations of eating disorders in the media.

“We are about 50 percent science and 50 percent commentary about things that are going on in the world that are relevant to eating disorders so we can reach a broad audience,” said Cynthia Bulik, the director of the center.

She said the blog has readers all across the world, including in China, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand.

“Science decays if it stays locked up in an ivory tower, so we do a lot of science here and then translate that science for the public,” she said.

Stephanie Zerwas, assistant research director, said the blog will get people talking about eating disorders and sharing their own experiences.

“One of the most important things we can do is reduce the stigma around eating disorders,” she said.

“Our job is to be an example of talking about it. No judgment, no criticism, this is a disease that we can work to treat.”

Zerwas said the center is advertising through social media and encourages users to interact with the blog, the center and the people themselves.

“People find us through tweets and posts by other eating disorder advocates who use social media, and then they visit our site for further information,” Zerwas said.

“It is an easy way to find out what we are doing.”

Bulik said the center is currently working on the largest investigation of its kind into the effects genetics have on eating disorders.

Metzger said the role of the blog is to increase social awareness of eating disorders.

“We want to keep eating disorders in the public’s eye and keep it relevant so we can continue to progress toward cures and recovery.”

For more information about eating disorders and research conducted through the Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, visit www.uncexchanges.com.