Ep. 23: Killer Fat & Problems with the "Obesity Epidemic" -PART ONE - Dr. Natalie Boero

12/21/17 • 42 min

Dr. Natalie Boero is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at San Jose State University. She joins Every Body this week to discuss the ways our society pigeon holes obesity as a personal problem for the individual rather than examining the wider socioeconomic scope (access to good health care, food deserts, safe places to play and be active) and its effects on public health. Dr. Boero discusses how she began in the field with her first book, Killer Fat: Media, Medicine and Morals in the American Obesity Epidemic. She explains the problem with medicalizing non-medical instances such as weight or violence with words like "epidemic" which cause panic and risky preventative measures. It was such a pleasure to hear Dr. Boero's thoughts and research on everything from obesity myths to the privilege of "the good fatty." Take a listen and join us in the conversation with us!

"My being the 'good fatty' probably has a lot to do with my class and race privilege in the sense that I have the resources to do certain things or I have the absence of other privileges that sort of blunt some of the other stigmas that I have experienced... we shouldn't judge moral worth based on health."

Dr. Natalie Boero

This Week on the Every Body Podcast:

How Dr. Boero began her study into the "obesity epidemic" with her dissertation.
How the term "obesity epidemic" was coined.
The ways that weight bias has become a scapegoat in blaming minority groups for their own disadvantages.
The effects of socioeconomics on weight and health.
The correlation between chronic dieting and food restriction in the last 70 years with the general increase in the weight of Americans.
The problematic ways we produce and distribute food globally.
How focusing on fatness distracts from the larger public interest (i.e. psychological effects of fat stigma, access to safe places to play/be active, etc).
The extremes that our culture falls into ("epidemic," "cleanse," "addict," etc) in the name of "health."
"The good fatty" and myths about "human value being predicated on health."

Additional Resources:

Studies Mentioned:

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Dr. Natalie Boero

This Week on the Every Body Podcast:

How Dr. Boero began her study into the "obesity epidemic" with her dissertation.
How the term "obesity epidemic" was coined.
The ways that weight bias has become a scapegoat in blaming minority groups for their own disadvantages.
The effects of socioeconomics on weight and health.
The correlation between chronic dieting and food restriction in the last 70 years with the general increase in the weight of Americans.
The problematic ways we produce and distribute food globally.
How focusing on fatness distracts from the larger public interest (i.e. psychological effects of fat stigma, access to safe places to play/be active, etc).
The extremes that our culture falls into ("epidemic," "cleanse," "addict," etc) in the name of "health."
"The good fatty" and myths about "human value being predicated on health."

Additional Resources:

Studies Mentioned:

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Previous Episode

Ep. 22: Lose the Bullsh** & Liberate your Body - Jes Baker

Jes Baker (@themilitantbaker) has been a major figure in the fat-positive community for years beginning with her "Attractive and Fat" photo campaign as backlash against Abercrombie and Fitch's anti-fat advertising. Since then, her refreshingly authentic voice has garnered over 77 thousand followers on instagram as well as a wildly popular personal blog. Jes has built her foundation on the idea that #fatgirlsCAN and she continues to shatter society's expectations for fat people with equal parts outspoken advocacy and brazen visibility. I loved getting a chance to sit down with this inspirational woman to talk about complicated topics from "Lisa Frank bopo" to her relationship with movement. Take a listen and join the conversation with us on instagram! "Every single person right now is being targeted, when it comes to self-esteem and body image, women have historically been the targets of marketing and advertising selling these beauty and weight loss products." - Jes Baker

This Week on the Every Body Podcast:

How Jes Baker's online presence took off with her "Attractive and Fat" campaign against Abercrombie & Fitch.
Discussions on class as it relates to farm culture and how that relates to current gender roles.
How the new "health is the new skinny" trend plays into diet culture.
The ways wellness culture is exclusive and damaging to the vast majority of people.
Jes's personal recovery process as it relates to her childhood experience with poverty.
Jes talks about her complicated relationship with movement and intuitive eating.
The ways Jes connects with her body and finds happiness and fulfillment.
How writing her upcoming memoir, "Landwhale" (May 2018), has played a role in the connection between her mental and physical journey.
The ways the "Lisa Frank bopo" movement can fall short for many people.

Additional Resources:

Jes Baker's blog: www.themilitantbaker.com
Jes's first book, "Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls: a Handbook for Unapologetic Living": https://www.amazon.com/Things-One-Will-Tell-Girls/dp/1580055826
Jes's open letter to Abercrombie & Fitch CEO: http://www.themilitantbaker.com/2013/05/to-mike-jeffries-co-abercrombie-fitch.html?m=1

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Next Episode

Ep. 24: Fat Kids, Working Moms, Mother-Blame and more - PART TWO - Dr. Natalie Boero

Dr. Natalie Boero

This Week on the Every Body Podcast:

How Dr. Boero began her study into the "obesity epidemic" with her dissertation.
How the term "obesity epidemic" was coined.
The ways that weight bias has become a scapegoat in blaming minority groups for their own disadvantages.
The effects of socioeconomics on weight and health.
The correlation between chronic dieting and food restriction in the last 70 years with the general increase in the weight of Americans.
The problematic ways we produce and distribute food globally.
How focusing on fatness distracts from the larger public interest (i.e. psychological effects of fat stigma, access to safe places to play/be active, etc).
The extremes that our culture falls into ("epidemic," "cleanse," "addict," etc) in the name of "health."
"The good fatty" and myths about "human value being predicated on health."

Additional Resources:

Studies Mentioned:

Rate & Share