Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation

For good. For ever.

306 South University Avenue Mount Pleasant, MI, 48858 United States

(989) 773-7322

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Isabella County, now and for generations to come, by attracting and holding permanent endowed funds from a wide range of donors, addressing needs through grant making and providing leadership on key community issues.

Oct. 30 Look Who’s Talking speaker aims to change thinking on bodies, diets, eating

October 01, 2024  /  Sherry Knight

A conversation with disordered eating expert Samantha Hahn

Dr. Samantha Hahn

Sam Hahn describes herself as a fiery redhead who grew up in a rural town near Lansing. Her intensity is focused on disordered eating, the largely unaddressed issue of habits such as skipping meals, abusing laxatives, binge eating and self-induced vomiting. 

“Disordered eating is so normalized in our culture that few realize it’s a problem. And in rural communities, it exists at double the rate,” Hahn said. “The question is how we dismantle it.”

Hahn, Ph.D., MPH, RD, will be the keynote speaker during the Oct. 30 Look Who’s Talking Luncheon organized by the Women’s Initiative Committee of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation.

A faculty member in Central Michigan University’s College of Medicine and lecturer in the CMU Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Hahn has received multiple research grants and is a leader in international eating disorder organizations. Here’s at look her passion for addressing disordered eating and what to expect from her speech:

Hahn’s career goal

“Prevention is what makes me tick, rather than treatment. Let’s not get to the point of needing treatment,” said Hahn, who lost an aunt to complications of a lifelong eating disorder.

What she’ll discuss in her keynote address

“I’ll hate on diet culture the entire time — all the issues and assumptions about body, weight and eating,” she said. “Our diet culture touches on every aspect of life. I’ll challenge world views, then help the audience see a new paradigm and consider what’s more effective.”

Hands-on work in our community

“I’m invested in this community. I see the need,” said Hahn, who has studies underway in Isabella, Mecosta and Clare County high schools. She also partners with Mt. Pleasant’s Center of Hope Counseling, which serves individuals struggling with eating disorders and body image issues.

Does the diet culture affect only youth?

The impact of diet culture can follow individuals throughout their lives, Hahn said, with disordered eating spiking during the teen years and again during menopause.

“I talk about intuitive eating, which is complex, but involves rejecting a diet mentality and coming to peace with food, with your body and with movement that’s enjoyable,” she said.

Look Who’s Talking is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, at the Soaring Eagle Conference Center. Tickets are $50. Visit https://shorturl.at/AhFDl or contact the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation at 989-773-7322 or info@mpacf.org.