z-logo
Premium
Weight of tradition: culture as a rationale for obesity in contemporary U . S . news coverage
Author(s) -
Shugart H. A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
obesity reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.845
H-Index - 162
eISSN - 1467-789X
pISSN - 1467-7881
DOI - 10.1111/obr.12043
Subject(s) - mainstream , extant taxon , obesity , relation (database) , sociology , political science , medicine , law , biology , pathology , database , evolutionary biology , computer science
Summary In studies of mediated representations of obesity to date, the overwhelming majority have found predominant a personal responsibility frame, specifically as drawn against environmental frames, which are nonetheless gaining ground in recent years. In this essay, I review that extant literature and seek to trouble the binary by isolating national news coverage of obesity in two historically and culturally specific regions of the U nited S tates that are regularly referenced in relation to the issue: the S outh and the M idwest. I evaluate the key characterizations of obesity and obese individuals in these regions in mainstream national news coverage between J anuary 2009 and D ecember 2012 in order to assess whether, how, and to what extent personal responsibility or environmental frames are invoked in this coverage. I argue that ‘culture’ appears to be gaining traction as an emergent discourse for obesity, which may appear to offer a more complex or nuanced explanation of the issue; however, this analysis suggests that it can be taken up in ways that feature troubling implications and consequences.

This content is not available in your region!

Continue researching here.

Having issues? You can contact us here