Student stipend recipient, Jessica Carmel.
Nearly nine percent of Americans will experience some type of eating disorder throughout their lives.
These disorders greatly increase the risk of suicide, addiction, and psychiatric illnesses. For many people, these disorders become ingrained at a very young age.
“I’m heavily focused on body image issues in youth,” Jessica Carmel explained. “Schools are one of the biggest areas where peoples’ self-images get created and established. As kids, we spend seven to eight hours a day in school. Some schools emphasize positive things, such as healthy eating and general activity, but they often lack programs that teach children how to love their bodies, no matter their size and shape. I know from my own experience growing up in a heavier body how influential those spaces can be.”
While completing her MPH at Oregon State University, Jessica began looking for an internship that aligned with her passions. She eventually found an exciting opportunity with the Lane County Prevention team in Oregon.
“I was very fortunate to find this internship,” Jessica said. “Their team was hearing from teachers and parents in the county about the need for improved weight-acceptance training, and they were looking to create a comprehensive program to improve students’ body images and wellness. They wanted to create a program that promotes weight acceptance, body neutrality, and other body-positive principles such as Health at Every Size (HAES) and intuitive eating.”
While working on her internship, Jessica received a stipend from the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice, which provides financial support for students working on a variety of public health projects across the Pacific Northwest. This stipend helped offset her day-to-day expenses and allowed her to focus on the work at hand.
“I was tasked with evaluating existing weight-acceptance programs. There are a lot of programs out there, and I performed a very extensive literature review of everything from small, niche programs to huge international projects. Curiously enough, the one I was most excited about is called the Body Project, which is based at the University of Oregon in Eugene.”
“The Body Project focuses on self-esteem and body-image struggles. It was originally developed for college-aged women but has been adapted to include other ages and genders. It’s been shown to improve peoples’ body-image perception, and has also had an impact on preventing suicide, improving mental health, and reducing substance use.”
When she finished the literature review, Jessica provided the Prevention Team with a list of programming recommendations. She also designed several media brochures that address wellness and body positivity.
“Throughout the course of this internship, I definitely improved my collaboration and communication skills,” Jessica said. “I believe collaboration is essential to address weight bias and promote weight acceptance. I’m excited to see the different programs the prevention team creates, and I’m proud to have made a meaningful impact in this community.”
The Northwest Center for Public Health Practice continues to provide funding for students involved in various public health projects. Visit Student Projects to learn more about past funded projects or to apply directly for a stipend.
