The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) will host an event Saturday featuring a march, speakers and yoga to raise funds and bring attention to eating disorders.
The second Athens NEDA Walk will advocate for support of those suffering from eating disorders and aims to raise $7,500 for research and recovery services. Registration for the walk begins at 10 a.m., and the event begins at 11 a.m.
Shelby Martin, a graduate student studying clinical psychology, organized the first Athens walk last year after organizing one in her Michigan hometown before coming to Ohio University. Her personal research focuses on treatment for those diagnosed with eating disorders, and she wanted to bring the NEDA event to Athens because there is a lack of eating disorder resources in the area.
“I think people often don’t realize that these illnesses, and just poor body image in general, affects more people than we realize,” Martin said. “This problem has become really pervasive in our society because of the media and the way women and men are now portrayed.”
The event will feature a speaker who will recount her personal recovery story and a yoga instructor leading a yoga practice and lesson on its body image benefits.
Selena Baker, a nutrition counselor at WellWorks, will also be speaking about how eating disorders are becoming more prevalent, particularly in men, and how focusing on self-care and being “more” for oneself can be an important step in fighting negative body image.
Baker said eating disorders are important to talk about, particularly with college students, because they can often surface during adolescence and instances of big life events, like moving away from home for the first time.
“We know that you have a better chance of recovery from an eating disorder if you can get treatment early,” she said. “The longer you have an untreated eating disorder, the more difficult it is to recover.”
OU’s Women’s Center and LGBT Center will co-sponsor the NEDA Walk for the second year.
OU Women’s Center Director M. Geneva Murray attended the event last year and said it was an incredibly impactful experience. She said attending similar events and supporting those with eating disorders can promote dialogue that’s important for recovery.
“I think any time we can build a positive community around eating disorder recovery, have open dialogues that recovery is possible and what recovery can look at, as well as remembering those who weren’t able to get help, it’s something that people should really participate in,” she said.
