Rizwan Syed completed his master’s degree after overcoming an eating disorder.
OVERCOMING A DESTRUCTIVE DIET
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROGRAM HELPED A YOUNG MAN RECOVER FROM AN EATING DISORDER.
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n 2018, shortly after arriving from India to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Rutgers University, Rizwan Syed began to experience acid reflux, in which stomach contents back up into the esophagus, causing heartburn. Prescription medicine provided some relief, but Rizwan, 25, of Piscataway, wanted to see if dietary changes could help, too. He researched the condition online and decided to dramatically alter his diet, cutting out pizza, chocolate and other favorite foods. Healthy Together
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Soon Rizwan became obsessed with his diet, worrying that eating the wrong foods would leave him feeling bloated and uncomfortable. He subsisted primarily on modest servings of vegetables. “I was depriving my body of essential nutrients,” says Rizwan. He reached a crisis point in the spring of 2020, when his weight was dangerously low. His brother and roommate, Syed Shoaib, convinced him to seek help. Rizwan was referred to the Eating Disorders Program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset, one of just two
facilities in the state to offer inpatient treatment for eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia.
A DANGEROUS DISORDER FOR MEN
Eating disorders are often thought to afflict teenage girls, but men and women of all ages can develop a dysfunctional relationship with food. They develop eating disorders for similar reasons, says Kathleen Haughey-Eannone, MSN, RN-BC, director of the Eating Disorders Program. “Most are driven by
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