With the aim of raising awareness of eating disorders and recovery opportunities on campus, the University of South Alabama held the second annual Walk Against Eating Disorders on Feb. 15.
“The number of college students struggling with eating disorders has been steadily increasing with studies indicating that up to 20% of students experience disordered eating behaviors at some point during their academic journey,” said John Friend, Ph.D., director of the University Counseling and Wellness Center. “At the University of South Alabama, that would be an estimated 2,800 students struggling with disordered eating. This event is dedicated to helping our students live a life of freedom.”
The event included an appearance by President Jo Bonner, who handed out eating disorder awareness buttons, SouthPaw, Miss Pawla, and Miss University of South Alabama. Participants walked a lap around the intramural fields in solidarity of fighting eating disorders. The event also hosted a scale smash and other activities and giveaways.
Additionally, two Whiddon College of Medicine student interest groups hosted tables at the event to provide support and increase awareness of eating disorders.
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The Family Medicine Interest Group hosted a table at the event. |
“It’s exciting to see our medical students have a presence at the USA Walk Against Eating Disorders,” said Becky Smith, Ph.D., health and wellness counselor at the Whiddon College of Medicine. “What a great opportunity for our future physicians to engage with the university community and spread awareness of eating disorders and how they can help those struggling.”
The Family Medicine Interest Group, hosted by Amber Mathus, Priscilla Agyemang, and Veronica Sanders, provided snacks and a basket where participants could answer anonymously, “What do you wish doctors knew about eating disorders?”
The Culinary Arts and Lifestyle Medicine (CALM) interest group, hosted by Rachael Motamed and H. Lien Inman, taught participants how to make origami cranes. The crane represents resilience, healing, and strength. As participants folded their paper into cranes, they engaged in dialogue of the importance of awareness of healthy eating habits and reminding individuals of their resilience and strength in overcoming eating disorders.
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The Culinary Arts and Lifestyle Medicine interest group taught participants to make paper cranes. |
“I think CALM representation at this event is crucial as this connection bridges the gap between food, health, and recovery,” Motamed said. “Our group promotes a balanced, non-restrictive mindset to nutrition, encouraging a positive relationship with food, and our intentional emphasis on nourishment over restriction fosters a sustainable, healing-centered mindset that promotes both physical and mental well-being. As a future physician, I want to endorse the concept that food is not the enemy but a source of joy, connection, and empowerment in recovery.”
Conversations surrounding eating disorders are extremely important in the medical field, especially with the presence of implicit weight bias. “Lifestyle medicine has the goal of encouraging healthy eating and exercise,” Inman said, “but it is vital to be mindful that unhealthy diet culture is pervasive and damaging. As physicians we need to be intentional about our language and lifestyle coaching to encourage patients to live healthy lives both physically and mentally.”
