Welcome to SEA WAVES
 
We are dedicated to transforming the approach to wellness within the military community by proactively addressing and preventing disordered eating. Our mission focuses on providing accessible prevention strategies, comprehensive education, and building connections to prevent the escalation of these challenges into fully diagnosed eating disorders. We are committed to filling the critical gaps in care and ensuring no one in our military community faces these challenges in isolation.
 
To Our Wave Warriors: If you're struggling with your relationship to food or body image, you're not alone and you're a Wave Warrior. We invite you to explore our Resources Page or reach out directly to access the support you need and deserve.
 
To Military Leadership, Medical Providers, & Supporters: As partners in proactive health, your involvement is critical in recognizing and effectively addressing disordered eating. Your actions can save lives, especially when considering the dire consequence of untreated disordered eating can be as severe as death, with suicide being the leading cause of mortality in individuals with eating disorders. The military community is already deeply committed to reducing our suicide rates, and addressing disordered eating is a crucial part of this effort.
 
To Civilian Eating Disorder Organizations and Other Nonprofits: Collaboration is key. Together, we can offer the military community specialized and comprehensive care that addresses the unique challenges they face.

 
Disordered Eating: A Silent Threat to Military Readiness
 
The emphasis in the military on maintaining physical fitness and required adherence to body composition standards can inadvertently compromise service members' physical and mental health and wellness,
potentially escalating the likelihood of disordered eating patterns.
 
Building on this, the impact extends beyond just physical health, deeply affecting mental well-being, performance, and overall military readiness. Further exacerbating the situation is the issue of low energy availability, a state where the energy consumed is not sufficient to support the energy expended. This imbalance can severely impair both physical and cognitive functions, which are essential for optimal military performance. Low energy availability not only undermines the effectiveness of service members but also highlights the complex interplay between dietary habits and the demands of military service. For an in-depth understanding of low energy availability and its consequences, refer to this comprehensive study by NCBI. 

 
Your Action is Needed

Available resources and treatments for disordered eating, while present, require our collective effort not only to reach every service member in distress but also to ensure these solutions are easily accessible and continuously improved. At SEA WAVES, we spearhead this critical mission by partnering with civilian eating disorder experts and providing military leaders with training. Our collaborative approach is focused on closing the divide in awareness and treatment, making certain that support is not only available and accessible but also adaptable to the shifting needs of those we serve.
 
Make Your Impact Felt

Together, we have the power to combat stigma, improve the effectiveness of our military forces, and save precious lives. Explore ways to get involved by visiting our website, contributing to our fundraising efforts, or signing up as a volunteer. Your voice has the power to initiate lasting change.