Healthism and the experiences of social, healthcare and self-stigma of women with higher-weight

This study analyses how the discourse of healthism contributes to the social construction of weight stigma in women with higher-weight. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine women who had undergone bariatric surgery and had lived with higher-weight during many years. A themati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social theory & health 2020-12, Vol.18 (4), p.410-424
Main Authors: Jiménez-Loaisa, Alejandro, Beltrán-Carrillo, Vicente J., González-Cutre, David, Jennings, George
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Blame
Body shape
Body weight
Constructionism
Discourse
Discourse analysis
Gastric restriction surgery
Gastrointestinal surgery
Health care
Health services
Individualism
Medical Sociology
Neoliberalism
Obesity
Original Article
Prevention programs
Self esteem
Social construction
Social Sciences
Social Theory
Sociology
Stigma
Surgery
Women
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Summary:This study analyses how the discourse of healthism contributes to the social construction of weight stigma in women with higher-weight. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine women who had undergone bariatric surgery and had lived with higher-weight during many years. A thematic analysis from a latent and constructionist perspective showed how the discourse of healthism was behind the experiences of stigma lived by the participants in the social and healthcare field. Even instances of self-stigma were found in our data. This study also illustrates how people influenced by healthism assumed individualism and the importance of body shape, core values of neoliberal consumer societies. In this way, people tended to blame women with higher-weight for their weight and to discriminate against for being far from the socially established ideal body. The findings can be useful to prevent weight stigmatization and to promote more appropriate and respectful strategies for obesity prevention and treatment.
ISSN:1477-8211
1477-822X
DOI:10.1057/s41285-019-00118-9