title: Obesity in the new media: a content analysis of obesity videos on YouTube.
abstract: This study examines (1) how the topics of obesity are framed and (2) how obese persons are portrayed on YouTube video clips. The analysis of 417 obesity videos revealed that a newer medium like YouTube, similar to traditional media, appeared to assign responsibility and solutions for obesity mainly to individuals and their behaviors, although there was a tendency that some video categories have started to show other causal claims or solutions. However, due to the prevailing emphasis on personal causes and solutions, numerous YouTube videos had a theme of weight-based teasing, or showed obese persons engaging in stereotypical eating behaviors. We discuss a potential impact of YouTube videos on shaping viewers' perceptions about obesity and further reinforcing stigmatization of obese persons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63121-4400, USA. yooji@umsl.edu
authors.forename: Jina H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Junghyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D005247:Feeding Behavior; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D058015:Health Communication / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D020407:Internet; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D011287:Prejudice; D014481:United States; D014743:Videotape Recording