{"id":184151,"date":"2025-06-06T00:31:56","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T00:31:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/?p=184151"},"modified":"2025-06-06T00:32:22","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T00:32:22","slug":"comm-fest-2025-empowering-youth-through-social-media-and-wellness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/?p=184151","title":{"rendered":"COMM FEST 2025: Empowering Youth through Social Media and Wellness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By, Wan Amni Nabihah Wan Azman<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

GOMBAK, 29 May 2025: In a world where social media trends shape lifestyles, health awareness needs a creative twist, and yesterday\u2019s event titled \u201cSwipe Right on Health \u2014 Making the Right Choices\u201d proved just that. Held at the Multimedia Lab of the HS Building from 8.30 AM until 10 AM, the session brought together youth, educators, and online content creators to discuss how digital platforms can be harnessed to promote healthier living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderated by IIUM student, Putri Batrisyia, the panel featured Dr. Nafiza Binti Mat Nasir, Senior Lecturer and Consultant in Family Medicine (Faculty of Medicine, UITM), and Hadijah Mubarak Bentaleb, a former fashion enthusiast turned full-time strategic marketer and cooking instructor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first session opened with a personal reflection from Dr. Nafiza, who revealed that medicine was not her initial passion. After completing her clinical master\u2019s, she realized her deeper calling was to educate and guide the younger generation, particularly after noticing a gap in her understanding of her teenage children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI created social media just to follow my kids,\u201d she shared. \u201cBut that\u2019s when I realized I could do more, which is to educate not just them, but others too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contrast, Hadijah shared how her journey into content creation started unexpectedly during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFashion was my passion, but it didn\u2019t align with my family life. So, I turned to cooking and from there, I started sharing recipes using Thermomix to help overwhelmed mothers like me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the second session, the panel explored how health is often overlooked by youth due to academic and social pressures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHealth isn\u2019t a one-time effort; it\u2019s a lifestyle,\u201d Dr. Nafiza emphasized. \u201cMany students spend on gym visits or fitness classes, but still do not prioritize their health. Prevention should start from primary school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also highlighted how young people often rely on sugar for quick stress relief, thanks to their still-efficient metabolism, but reminded them that the long-term consequences could be severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hadijah echoed this from a parental perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou only start when you feel the pain, but we shouldn\u2019t wait for that. I want my children to understand nutrition early,\u201d she said. \u201cEven if you eat fast food, do you know what\u2019s inside it? Balance is key.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She encouraged youth to get creative on social media, transforming educational content into engaging posts that resonate with the online generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the final session, the speakers discussed the importance of verifying health-related content online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no one-pill-for-everything solution,\u201d Dr. Nafiza warned. \u201cAlways look into the background of the person sharing the information. Don\u2019t fall for influencers promoting miracle tablets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She urged students to consult professionals and emphasized that every individual\u2019s health needs are unique. When asked about the challenges of countering food review trends, Ms. Hadijah admitted that unhealthy food content is everywhere, but suggested a balanced approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to avoid it entirely, just show both sides. If you eat fast food, show your 5km walk too. Share your health efforts to inspire balance,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Both speakers emphasized the need for content that speaks the language of the youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYoung people don\u2019t want lectures,\u201d Hadijah said. \u201cGive them a strong hook, speak their language, and keep it within 15\u201330 seconds. Show how to do something and not just why.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event closed with a hopeful message: health content doesn\u2019t have to be boring. With the right approach, anyone can make a difference online. Whether through Dr. Nafiza\u2019s medical insight or Ms. Hadijah\u2019s relatable food content, the speakers proved that making the right choices can begin with a single swipe.***<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By, Wan Amni Nabihah Wan Azman GOMBAK, 29 May 2025: In a world where social media trends shape lifestyles, health awareness needs a creative twist,… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":331,"featured_media":184179,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,4,6,3],"tags":[],"nelio_content":{"isAutoShareEnabled":true,"autoShareEndMode":"never","automationSources":{"useCustomSentences":false,"customSentences":[]},"followers":[331],"suggestedReferences":[],"efiUrl":"","efiAlt":"","highlights":[],"permalinkQueryArgs":[]},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/DSC_0172-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184151"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=184151"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184151\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":184445,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184151\/revisions\/184445"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/184179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=184151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=184151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=184151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}