When was the last time you noticed what you were eating as you took each bite? When was the last time you walked somewhere and looked around rather than down at your phone? When was the last time you truly noticed your surroundings?
We have been caught in an epidemic. Drawn in by the technology and chaos of life, we neglect attention to the present moment. As a result, we lack the self awareness that is necessary to prevent many mental health issues, which in turn impact our eating habits.
According to the psychologists here at Furman, roughly half of females and a quarter of males coming into this university have struggled with some sort of disordered eating behaviors. Even more shockingly, ninety percent of all entering students are concerned with their body image on some level. Something that affects such a large portion of our student body is not something we should simply ignore. Whether or not disordered eating is something that we as individuals struggle with, it is a battle that many of our peers are fighting. For that, it is worth addressing.
One of the major challenges with eating disorders is the agony over body image. This produces what is referred to as “maladaptive emotional regulation.” Students who are like me lack a sense of interoceptive awareness, or a sense of the internal state of the body. It’s especially noticeable to me when I eat—a time when I especially want to pick up my phone, take out a notebook, or otherwise create anxiety for myself about what comes next.
Mindfulness offers a cure, as a tool to build this awareness. Returning to the present moment and accepting one’s feelings and thoughts helps individuals to see a more authentic reality. As a result, participants develop healthy emotional regulation, moving towards a state of being in touch with one-self. In theory, this would shift thoughts about body image into a more positive light, eliminating the risk for eating disorders caused by maladaptive coping and a skewed perception of the world.
With this knowledge in mind, many psychologists have attempted to use mindfulness not only as a recovery tool for eating disorders, but also as a means for prevention. A meta analysis of such research found that mindfulness, as a whole, was significantly effective in reducing individuals’ vulnerability to developing disordered eating habits. Body image concerns were reduced, body positivity was increased, and self-esteem was improved. All from simply practicing mindfulness.
As a college campus, we have a responsibility to begin this conversation. If we slow down and more mindfully approach our daily routine and bodily needs, we can begin to live this change. For example, a self-awareness and mindfulness module in all Wellness courses, along with a CLP-series on cultural trends of slow food, could begin to tackle this common combination of issues.
Self-awareness, mindfulness, and setting time aside for non-rushed eating are so important in the college years, when we are all growing and trying to figure out our place in the world. I challenge you to put your electronic devices away in the Dining Hall and try not to pull them out while eating. And at the same time, try not to schedule a meal for any less than an hour. The combination of a slow and focused approach to eating could really begin to change our campus culture to a more mindful one and decrease our already-high rates of anxious and disordered eating.
