The Social Weight of Obesity

Abstract

The objective of this article is to lay out what social representations have over obese individuals’ eating habits, also to get to know the meaning of different factors related to eating and healthy body weight upkeep. ‘The Social Weight of Obesity’ reveals that this disorder is spreading at epidemic proportions and is actually favored by our modern day society, for it is clearly perceived, that there are certain ideological interests behind such approval. Maps from each segment were put together, disclosing contradictory aspects of the significance behind obese individuals’ eating related links, such as ones associated with pleasure. Then there are those associated with pain or suffering: compulsion, non-control. Also laid out, are the social factors: discrimination, pressure, prejudice, body worship.
Key words: Obesity. Theory of social representations. Ideology.