title: Shifting the balance: the contemporary narrative of obesity.
abstract: In this essay, I assess the narrative of obesity as articulated in representative contemporary mainstream media fare--namely, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Biggest Loser, and Big Medicine. I contend that the emergent narrative of obesity across these programs signals a shift from the historically received narrative in light of its intersection with the concurrent culturally resonant narratives of addiction and self-actualization. In particular, the proposed "problem" and "solution" to obesity, both historically attributed to personal responsibility, appear to be shifting in favor of cultural explanations that describe obesity as symptomatic of and secondary to broader issues related to community, emotionality, and agency. This suggests novel cultural understandings, practices, and policies regarding the mounting "obesity epidemic."
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. h.shugart@utah.edu
authors.forename: Helene A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Shugart
mesh_terms: D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D033262:Narration; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D013690:Television; D014481:United States