The first university inpatient treatment program for eating disorders in Florida opened at Shands at UF on Tuesday.
The Eating Disorder Recovery Center, located at Shands Vista on Northwest 39th Avenue, offers 24/7 care for patients with anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders.
Before the center officially opened, the hospital offered only outpatient services for eating disorder patients. The outpatient services at the center began in the fall, said Dr. Kevin Wandler, a psychiatrist and director of the center.
The center offers treatment for adolescents and adults.
The program features a comprehensive approach to treatment, with experts ranging from expressive therapists and dietitians to specialists in internal medicine, he said.
The biggest expense in establishing the new inpatient program was adding staff to the team. Wandler, who moved from Arizona to start the program, said 12 to 15 new staff members were hired to get the program running.
Wandler said college students tend to be affected by eating disorders much more than other age groups. He said 10 percent of college women have an eating disorder.
"College is pretty stressful just in itself, let alone if you have an eating disorder you're trying to overcome," he said.
Samantha Aybar, a 19-year-old psychology sophomore, said the new center seems like it could be a useful resource for college students.
"Being in college, students have a lot of stress," she said, "so if they resort to eating disorders, this could help them get rid of bad habits and give them better ways of dealing with stress."
