For many, food is not merely a source of survival, but an object of daily struggle.

While media attention tends to focus on women when dealing with eating disorders, it is not uncommon for men to experience problems related to a distorted body image.

Twenty-five percent of American men are on a diet on any given day, according to a fact sheet from Eating Disorders Awareness & Prevention (EDAP). When these concerns become obsessions, they can be termed eating disorders.

The three main types of eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, anorexia is "self-starvation and refusal to eat or maintain weight at a healthy or normal level" and involves an "intense fear of being fat in spite of excessive weight loss." Bulimia is "cycles of binge eating and purging."

It is estimated that 5 to 10 percent of all people who have anorexia and bulimia are male. Eating disorders are most common among early and late adolescents, said Michele Stine (graduate-biobehavioral health).

The changes from middle to high school and from high school to college -- periods of "great upheaval and disruption" -- can trigger eating disorders.

People should be aware that, besides the immediate dangers associated with eating disorders, the condition might cause serious health problems later in life. Eating disorders can lead to osteoporosis and heart disorders, as well as disruption of a person's electrolyte balance, which can also have a negative effect on the heart, Stine said.

Mary Anne Knapp, outreach coordinator for the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), said she sees people with each type of disorder in her job. Many college students find solace in food during their first year, some excessively and unhealthily so. Others may attempt to deal with insecurities about themselves and their new environments by limiting food intake, either to attempt to ease unhappiness with their looks or to demonstrate an ability to be in control at a time when things seem out of control.

The most important step in overcoming an eating disorder is the affected person's realization that he or she has a problem, Knapp said. Many people remain in denial of the fact that their behavior is extremely unhealthy.

Once someone has accepted that treatment is needed, a counselor can help him or her figure out the root of the problem. Often, eating disorders stem from feelings of anxiety or depression and are linked to low self-esteem. The key to understanding an eating disorder is discovering its function in the patient's life and helping him or her find other, healthier ways to achieve the desired goals.

While it is important for friends and family members to be supportive of a person with an eating disorder, they should also be wary of being too intrusive.

"Ultimately, it is the student's choice. No one else can control what somebody is taking into their body," she said. However, there are steps people can take to help a friend they suspect might have an eating disorder.

Knapp emphasized the importance of offering support and refraining from being judgmental. She said friends and family should make it known that they are available to help, while being careful not to try to force help upon the affected person.