Abstract
Despite considerable contestation, ‘excess’ weight/fatness is commonly framed as fatal and in need of behavioural interventions. This article reviews literature which places a question mark over or challenges dietary approaches to weight-loss before critically discussing an alternative weight-inclusive intervention, Health At Every Size®, which is filtering into mainstream discourse while also becoming increasingly fractious. After discussing principles, tensions, resonance and controversies, we reflect on the politics of health and the need to reject the all-too-common definition of weight/fatness as a proxy for individuals’ unhealthy lifestyles and personal irresponsibility. In conclusion, we tease out some of the implications of our discussion for social theorizing of health and efforts to rethink the war on obesity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 89-108 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Social Theory and Health |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 19 Jun 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 2019 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Critique
- Dieting
- Fatness
- Health At Every Size
- Obesity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health(social science)
- Sociology and Political Science
Cite this
Dietary approaches to weight-loss, Health At Every Size® and beyond : rethinking the war on obesity. / Bombak, Andrea; Monaghan, Lee F.; Rich, Emma.
In: Social Theory and Health, Vol. 17, No. 1, 01.03.2019, p. 89-108.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Dietary approaches to weight-loss, Health At Every Size® and beyond
T2 - rethinking the war on obesity
AU - Bombak, Andrea
AU - Monaghan, Lee F.
AU - Rich, Emma
PY - 2019/3/1
Y1 - 2019/3/1
N2 - Despite considerable contestation, ‘excess’ weight/fatness is commonly framed as fatal and in need of behavioural interventions. This article reviews literature which places a question mark over or challenges dietary approaches to weight-loss before critically discussing an alternative weight-inclusive intervention, Health At Every Size®, which is filtering into mainstream discourse while also becoming increasingly fractious. After discussing principles, tensions, resonance and controversies, we reflect on the politics of health and the need to reject the all-too-common definition of weight/fatness as a proxy for individuals’ unhealthy lifestyles and personal irresponsibility. In conclusion, we tease out some of the implications of our discussion for social theorizing of health and efforts to rethink the war on obesity.
AB - Despite considerable contestation, ‘excess’ weight/fatness is commonly framed as fatal and in need of behavioural interventions. This article reviews literature which places a question mark over or challenges dietary approaches to weight-loss before critically discussing an alternative weight-inclusive intervention, Health At Every Size®, which is filtering into mainstream discourse while also becoming increasingly fractious. After discussing principles, tensions, resonance and controversies, we reflect on the politics of health and the need to reject the all-too-common definition of weight/fatness as a proxy for individuals’ unhealthy lifestyles and personal irresponsibility. In conclusion, we tease out some of the implications of our discussion for social theorizing of health and efforts to rethink the war on obesity.
KW - Critique
KW - Dieting
KW - Fatness
KW - Health At Every Size
KW - Obesity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85048710955&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1057/s41285-018-0070-9
DO - 10.1057/s41285-018-0070-9
M3 - Article
VL - 17
SP - 89
EP - 108
JO - Social Theory & Health
JF - Social Theory & Health
SN - 1477-8211
IS - 1
ER -