One of five college women suffers from it. According to the Journal of American College Health, worrying about body image can start as early as the “freshman 15,” the belief that freshmen women tend to gain 15 pounds during their first year of college.

A student’s outward physical appearance plays an important role during this time and is linked to, and can damage, self-esteem.

We Insist on Natural Shapes (WINS), a nonprofit organization, is trying to correct the misconception that the key to happiness, love and success lies in thinness and calorie restriction.

Founded in 1993 by a Sacramento Internist and Clinical Nutrition specialist, Dr. Ann Gerhardt, WINS was formed in response to her perception that a majority of women go on unhealthy diets in order to meet an ideal body standard, which pushes females to be thin as rails and adopt eating behaviors such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or compulsive overeating, which may lead to obesity.

WINS provides educational information for those suffering from eating disorders or those who would like to become involved with the organization.

Mercedes Gonzalez, a student at Sacramento State, became involved with the organization because of her major.

“My major is dietetic, a special major,” said Gonzalez, the executive director of WINS. “Eating disorders have complex physiological and psychological origins. Therefore, individuals with these conditions cope with serious psychological problems through bizarre food behaviors, which can lead to social isolation and mental and physical debilitation,” she said.

WINS is also building community awareness about eating disorders by educating children and adults to help them recognize that the shape of one’s body is determined by one’s genes.

WINS has produced 40-minute videos and a corresponding curriculum for elementary and secondary school teachers and children, educating them about body acceptance, nutrition, regular physical activity and disease.

Men account for 10 percent of people suffering from eating disorders, according to the American Anorexia Bulimia Association.

And that could be even higher, if more men sought help for diseases that are typically considered women’s issues.”We provide information for both men and women,” Gonzalez said. “We help them find help so that they can become healthier and build a healthy view of their body.”

The organization is fighting the body images in the media and advertising to those that are natural and attainable with healthy lifestyles.

Gonzalez said that WINS hopes to influence advertisers and the print and television media to portray healthy female images.

“We’re trying to influence companies to bring healthy women with natural curves back into the media and advertising,” she said. “We want to show women and men that being happy doesn’t mean being thin.”

For more information about WINS, visit their Web site at www.winsnews.org or call 1-800-600-WINS.