Obese people's perceptions of the thin ideal

Danielle Couch, Samantha Thomas, Sophie Lewis, Warwick BLOOD, Kate HOLLAND, Paul Komesaroff

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The media play a key role in promoting the thin ideal. A qualitative study, in which we used in depth interviews and thematic analysis, was undertaken to explore the attitudes of 142 obese individuals toward media portrayals of the thin ideal. Participants discussed the thin ideal as a social norm that is also supported through the exclusion of positive media portrayals of obese people. They perceived the thin ideal as an 'unhealthy' mode of social control, reflecting on their personal experiences and their concerns for others. Participants' perceptions highlighted the intersections between the thin ideal and gender, grooming and consumerism. Participants' personal responses to the thin ideal were nuanced - some were in support of the thin ideal and some were able to critically reflect and reject the thin ideal. We consider how the thin ideal may act as a form of synoptical social control, working in tandem with wider public health panoptical surveillance of body weight.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)60-70
Number of pages11
JournalSocial Science and Medicine
Volume148
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Obese people's perceptions of the thin ideal'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this