HEART
The Healthy Eating Assessment and Referral Team (HEART) is a multidisciplinary team that seeks to provide support and referral services to students at Virginia Tech. The team is made up of medical providers, counselors, registered nurses, a dietitian, a fitness specialist, and a case manager.
HEART recognizes the need for specialized services for individuals with eating disorders; however, we are not equipped to provide intensive and specialized treatment services. Individuals with concerns pertaining to eating, body image, or similar concerns are referred to HEART for further evaluation to make recommendations about the level of care appropriate to achieve success. Some individuals may be at a level of care in which members of HEART would be appropriate.
HEART abides by strict confidentiality standards and fully complies with all privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
You can make an appointment by contacting the Case Manager at Schiffert Health Center 540-231-6682, or by discussing HEART with your counselor, medical provider, or dietitian on campus. If you are calling on behalf of another person, be aware that we cannot discuss any individual patient without their consent. We can give you information about the program and general advice about how to handle certain situations.
HEART provides services for individuals with different types of medical conditions – including those below.
Types of Eating Disorders:
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.Symptoms may include:
- Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height, body type, age, and activity level
- Intense fear of weight gain or being "fat"
- Feeling "fat" or overweight despite dramatic weight loss
- Loss of menstrual periods, if female of menstrual age
- Extreme concern with body weight and shape
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia is characterized by binge eating and purging of food. Bulimia includes eating excessive amounts of food in short periods of time (often in secret), then getting rid of the food and calories through vomiting, enemas, laxative abuse, or over-exercising. Symptoms may include:
- Repeated episodes of bingeing and purging
- Feeling out of control during a binge and eating beyond the point of comfortable fullness
- Purging after a binge, typically by self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, diet pills, diuretics, excessive exercise, or fasting
- Frequent dieting
- Extreme concern with body weight and shape
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder is characterized primarily by periods of uncontrolled, continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full. While there is no purging, there may be sporadic fasts or repetitive diets, and often feelings of shame or self-hatred after a binge. Body weight may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity.
Other Types of Eating Disorders
- Pica - eating non-nutritive substances
- Rumination Disorder - regurgitation of food
- Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
- Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
- Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder (UFED)