Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Although conflicting rhetoric around body image––namely the “thin is best” mentality and the body positivity movement––exists in the U.S., the ways in which these competing discourses surface and interact within dieters' communication has not been comprehensively examined. Thus, utilizing Relational Dialectics Theory 2.0 to conduct an in-depth analysis of 38 interviews, our study sought to uncover how weight discourses are negotiated by individuals who have reported weight cycling. Participants voiced two overarching discourses: the discourse of body acceptance and the discourse of the superiority of thinness. We found that synchronic interplay was present in participants’ talk, where they negated, countered, or entertained these centered discourses. Our findings help elucidate the nuanced feelings toward weight present in society and highlight the power of weight-related messaging. In doing so, this study aims to provide insights into how weight-related discourses are experienced, communicated, and resisted in everyday interactions, offering a richer understanding of how interpersonal and societal forces intersect in shaping body image and health behaviors.
DOI: 10.29333/ajqr/16246
Institutions: College of Charleston, North Carolina State University
Language: English
Topic: Obesity and Health Practices
Subfield: Pharmacy
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4410066465