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Body shaming of an overweight woman depicted in a 1942 advertisement for a dietary supplement

Fat talk is a type of communication that discusses an individuals' physical appearance, focused on the influence of the excess body fat on weight, shape, style, or fitness of the human body.[1] Researchers have found that fat talk is associated with negative body image,[2] low self-esteem,[3] and eating disorders.[4] Fat talk is most commonly observed in women,[5] individuals with a BMI of over 25, younger individuals, White individuals,[6] and within Western cultures.[7]

The term was coined in 1994 by Nichter and Vuckovic and has become a relevant topic in discussions on body shaming, body image, gender, feminist theory, and social and cultural stereotypes.[8]

History

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The term fat talk was originally coined by anthropologists Mimi Nichter and Nancy Vuckovic in 1994 from their ethnographic research on middle school girls and their mothers. They found evidence of a ritualized discourse between mothers and their daughters surrounding body image and reports of the daughters feeling pressure to engage in this dialogue with their friends. Fat talk was defined as a method of communication centered on this topic, often involving negative remarks about body weight, fat, fitness, and shape. Nichter and Vuckovic speculated that fat talk has several adaptive functions for girls and women which perpetuates the behavior. These include eliciting reassurance from others, masking other negative emotions that cannot be expressed out right, absolving oneself of guilt for eating something “fattening,” creating an ingroup subculture, and managing a social impression.[8]

The origins of fat talk are rooted in long-standing societal norms about body image and gender. Male and female college students view self-degradation and practicing fat talk as normative for female college students.[9] Women and men in the United States of America experience more pressure to engage in fat talk than women and men in the United Kingdom.[10] Familial context also contributes to this culture with the generational transmission of fat talk behaviors.[11]

Fat talk provides short-term rewards such as maintaining sociability and eliciting reassurance from others.[8] Nichter and Vuckovic in their seminal work with middle school girls suggested that fat talk only served positive functions; however, later research suggested it is more complicated than that and not always healthy.[8] Women in more objectifying situations (wearing a bathing suit in front of a mirror) who participated in fat talk with another woman (confederate) experienced less negative emotions, while women in less objectifying situations (wearing a sweater in front of a mirror) experienced more negative emotions. This suggests that the context of fat talk matters in terms of how women feel about it.[12] Much of the research on fat talk in the 21st century has documented long-term negative consequences for this behavior. For example, fat talk contributes to body image dissatisfaction,[13] depression,[14] low self-esteem, bulimia nervosa, and self-objectification.[15]

Just as Nichter and Vuckovic witnessed in their formative research on the topic, girls and women engage in fat talk more frequently than boys and men.[8][5] Clinical health psychologist Denise Martz published a monograph that examined the societal and cultural impact of fat talk within a feminist context.[1] Within the body image literature, scientists have known that certain sociocultural factors disproportionately affect women because U.S. women routinely exhibit more body dissatisfaction in comparison to men.[16] Consequently, 81% of women have reported participating in fat talk, and 33% of those women reported participating frequently.[7] These statistics increase when observing college women populations, with 93% of them admitting to fat talk.[17] Men do participate in fat talk,[18] but their conversations tend to focus more on muscle tone and strength, as well as body fat.[19]

Characteristics

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One of the most common forms of fat talk includes negative self-talk, where individuals express self-deprecating comments about one’s own body. Remarks such as “I feel so fat today”, “I’m so fat”,[8] “All of my weight goes to my thighs and my butt”,[20] “My thighs look huge in these shorts”,[21] or “I look horrible in this shirt”.[22] These comments reflect feelings of dissatisfaction with one’s physical appearance.

Another prevalent form of fat talk is social comparison, where individuals compare their bodies to others. Examples include, “If you’re fat, then I'm humongous”,[17] “At least you can wear a regular bathing suit to the pool”,[23] or, “No you’re not, I’m the one who is fat”,[14] creating a hierarchy based on body weight or shape.

Fat talk frequently centers around weight loss and dieting. In this form, individuals engage in conversations that focus on dieting, exercise, the desire to lose weight, or the desire to be thin. Examples include, “I really need to start working out again”,[24] “I should not be eating fattening foods”,[25] or “I’m not in shape”.[26]

Correlates of fat talk

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Psychological correlates

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Fat talk is a significant predictor of body dissatisfaction, depression, and mental health issues.[27] It is also associated with body-related cognitive distortion, disordered eating, low self-esteem,[3][28] and body shame.[29]

Women with diagnosed eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder engage in fat talk more than women without diagnosed eating disorders.[30] Pregnant women who engage in fat talk exhibit more anxiety disorders than pregnant women who do not engage in fat talk.[31]

Social correlates

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Individuals reciprocate fat talk in order to maintain sociability.[32][33] An example of this would be a friend who says “I feel so fat today, look at how my belly is sticking out.” The friend who is hearing this then feels compelled to tell her, “You are not fat and your belly is fine. I’m the one with the huge thighs!” This continues the fat talk cycle and maintains social pressures such as body dissatisfaction normalization, thin-ideal internalization, peer pressure, and external validation.[1][17]

Because of social comparison and pressures to be thin, women who engage in fat talk with a woman thinner than themselves experience higher levels of body dissatisfaction.[34][35] Women who more strongly internalize the thin ideal are more likely to engage in fat talk and experience body dissatisfaction and body shame.[36] As women's concerns about their body image are more pronounced, their likelihood of engaging in fat talk is also higher.[23]

Fat talk can be influenced by the norms of specific social contexts. Women engage in fat talk more when they are in a female-dyad situation that demonstrates fat talk norms, but they fat talk less when that same situation demonstrates anti-fat talk norms. Exposure to fat talk is associated with certain correlates of disordered eating (thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, and negative affect) compared to those exposed to neutral or positive body talk.[37] Experimental exposure to others engaging in fat talk, compared to a neutral topic, results in increased negative affect, body dissatisfaction, and fat phobia.[38]

Child-directed fat talk involves parents making negative comments about their weight in front of their children. Child-directed fat talk is strongly associated with disordered eating behaviors such as binge eating, overeating, secretive eating, and higher rates of overweight and obesity in children.[39]

In heterosexual relationships, women and men feel comfortable engaging in fat talk with each other.[40] Men perceive women engaging in high levels of fat talk compared to self-accepting talk to have poorer perceived mental health .[41] Women and men perceive vignettes of women who excessively participate in fat talk compared to vignettes of women who minimally fat talk to have lower relationship and sexual satisfaction. Relationship and sexual satisfaction are perceived to be lower within romantic heterosexual relationships where women excessively fat talk.[42]

Fat talk and feminism

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Feminist theory and language have been studied in relation to fat talk. Feminists argue that participating in fat talk reinforces unattainable standards of beauty and perpetuates discriminatory gender norms.[1] Fat talk is accepted among women as a way to bond socially, especially in young girls. Young girls have constant exposure to products, television, and social media that demonstrate gender roles, misogyny, dieting, and other concepts that influence fat talk conversations. As a feminist issue, these social-cultural forces tend to maintain body image issues and contribute to eating disorders in girls and women.[1]

Women expressed greater likeability towards vignettes of women expressing feminist-inspired language that challenges fat talk in comparison to vignettes of women expressing fat talk language.[43] Women who self-identify as feminists are more likely to critique fat talk, and are less likely to engage in fat talk. Instead, feminist-identifying women are more likely to offer positive appearance affirmations in response to fat talk, suggesting that feminist theory and language is a potential method to combat fat talk and reduce its occurrences and negative correlates.[44] Further, when engaging in feminist-inspired dialogue, women experience less negative affect compared to women participating in fat talk.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Martz, Denise (2019). Fat talk: a feminist perspective. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 978-1-4766-7304-2.
  2. ^ Mills, Jacqueline; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew (2016-09-01). "Fat talk and its relationship with body image disturbance". Body Image. 18: 61–64. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.05.001. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 27286565.
  3. ^ a b Jones, Michelle D.; Crowther, Janis H.; Ciesla, Jeffrey A. (2014-09-01). "A naturalistic study of fat talk and its behavioral and affective consequences". Body Image. 11 (4): 337–345. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.05.007. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 24976570.
  4. ^ Chow, Chong Man; Tan, Cin Cin (2018-03-01). "The role of fat talk in eating pathology and depressive symptoms among mother-daughter dyads". Body Image. 24: 36–43. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.11.003. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 29258015.
  5. ^ a b Martz, Denise M.; Petroff, Anna B.; Curtin, Lisa; Bazzini, Doris G. (2009-07-01). "Gender Differences in Fat Talk Among American Adults: Results from the Psychology of Size Survey". Sex Roles. 61 (1): 34–41. doi:10.1007/s11199-009-9587-7. ISSN 1573-2762.
  6. ^ Fiery, Mallory F.; Martz, Denise M.; Webb, Rose Mary; Curtin, Lisa (2016-04-01). "A preliminary investigation of racial differences in body talk in age-diverse U.S. adults". Eating Behaviors. 21: 232–235. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2016.03.004. ISSN 1471-0153. PMID 27015294.
  7. ^ a b Becker, Carolyn Black; Diedrichs, Phillippa C.; Jankowski, Glen; Werchan, Chelsey (2013-02-21). "I'm not just fat, I'm old: has the study of body image overlooked "old talk"?". Journal of Eating Disorders. 1 (1): 6. doi:10.1186/2050-2974-1-6. ISSN 2050-2974. PMC 3776206. PMID 24764529.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Sault, Nicole Landry, ed. (1994). Many mirrors: body image and social relations. New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press. ISBN 978-0-8135-2079-7.
  9. ^ Britton, Lauren E.; Martz, Denise M.; Bazzini, Doris G.; Curtin, Lisa A.; LeaShomb, Anni (2006-09-01). "Fat talk and self-presentation of body image: Is there a social norm for women to self-degrade?". Body Image. 3 (3): 247–254. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2006.05.006. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 18089227.
  10. ^ Payne, Lucinda O.; Martz, Denise M.; Tompkins, K. Brooke; Petroff, Anna B.; Farrow, Claire V. (2011-10-01). "Gender Comparisons of Fat Talk in the United Kingdom and the United States". Sex Roles. 65 (7): 557–565. doi:10.1007/s11199-010-9881-4. ISSN 1573-2762.
  11. ^ Nichter, Mimi (2001). Fat Talk: What Girls and Their Parents Say About Dieting. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-00681-2.
  12. ^ Gapinski, Kathrine D.; Brownell, Kelly D.; LaFrance, Marianne (2003-05-01). "Body Objectification and "Fat Talk": Effects on Emotion, Motivation, and Cognitive Performance". Sex Roles. 48 (9): 377–388. doi:10.1023/A:1023516209973. ISSN 1573-2762.
  13. ^ Sharpe, Helen; Naumann, Ulrike; Treasure, Janet; Schmidt, Ulrike (2013). "Is fat talking a causal risk factor for body dissatisfaction? A systematic review and meta-analysis". International Journal of Eating Disorders. 46 (7): 643–652. doi:10.1002/eat.22151. ISSN 1098-108X. PMID 23818118.
  14. ^ a b Arroyo, Analisa; and Harwood, Jake (2012-05-01). "Exploring the Causes and Consequences of Engaging in Fat Talk". Journal of Applied Communication Research. 40 (2): 167–187. doi:10.1080/00909882.2012.654500. ISSN 0090-9882.
  15. ^ Arroyo, Analisa; Segrin, Chris; Harwood, Jake (2014-10-01). "Appearance-Related Communication Mediates the Link Between Self-Objectification and Health and Well-Being Outcomes". Human Communication Research. 40 (4): 463–482. doi:10.1111/hcre.12036. ISSN 0360-3989.
  16. ^ Feingold, Alan; Mazzella, Ronald (1998-05-01). "Gender Differences in Body Image Are Increasing". Psychological Science. 9 (3): 190–195. doi:10.1111/1467-9280.00036. ISSN 0956-7976.
  17. ^ a b c Salk, Rachel H.; Engeln-Maddox, Renee (2011-03-01). ""If You're Fat, Then I'm Humongous!": Frequency, Content, and Impact of Fat Talk Among College Women". Psychology of Women Quarterly. 35 (1): 18–28. doi:10.1177/0361684310384107. ISSN 0361-6843.
  18. ^ SturtzSreetharan, Cindi; Agostini, Gina; Wutich, Amber; Mitchell, Charlayne; Rines, Olivia; Romanello, Brittany; Brewis, Alexandra (January 2020). ""I need to lose some weight": Masculinity and body image as negotiated through fat talk". Psychology of Men & Masculinities. 21 (1): 148–161. doi:10.1037/men0000219. ISSN 1939-151X.
  19. ^ Engeln, Renee; Sladek, Michael R.; Waldron, Heather (2013-06-01). "Body talk among college men: Content, correlates, and effects". Body Image. 10 (3): 300–308. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2013.02.001. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 23490553.
  20. ^ a b Ambwani, Suman; Baumgardner, Megan; Guo, Cai; Simms, Lea; Abromowitz, Emily (2017-12-01). "Challenging fat talk: An experimental investigation of reactions to body disparaging conversations". Body Image. 23: 85–92. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.08.007. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 28886394.
  21. ^ Shannon, Amy; Mills, Jennifer S. (2015-09-01). "Correlates, causes, and consequences of fat talk: A review". Body Image. 15: 158–172. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.09.003. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 26479947.
  22. ^ Warnick, Jennifer L.; Darling, Katherine E.; Rancourt, Diana (2022-08-01). "The association between negative body talk and body shame on disordered eating symptoms among college students". Eating Behaviors. 46: 101648. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101648. ISSN 1471-0153. PMC 10031539. PMID 35753288.
  23. ^ a b Corning, Alexandra F.; Gondoli, Dawn M. (2012-09-01). "Who is most likely to fat talk? A social comparison perspective". Body Image. 9 (4): 528–531. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2012.05.004. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 22705306.
  24. ^ MacDonald Clarke, Paige; Murnen, Sarah K.; Smolak, Linda (2013-08-12). Fat Talk Scale (Report). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/t20832-000.
  25. ^ Royal, Sarah; MacDonald, Danielle E.; Dionne, Michelle M. (2013-06-10). Fat Talk Questionnaire (Report). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/t20833-000.
  26. ^ MacDonald, Danielle E.; Dimitropoulos, Gina; Royal, Sarah; Polanco, Andrea; Dionne, Michelle M. (2015-07-13). Family Fat Talk Questionnaire (Report). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/t41821-000.
  27. ^ Arroyo, Analisa; and Harwood, Jake (2012-05-01). "Exploring the Causes and Consequences of Engaging in Fat Talk". Journal of Applied Communication Research. 40 (2): 167–187. doi:10.1080/00909882.2012.654500. ISSN 0090-9882.
  28. ^ Alperin, Anandi; Hornsey, Matthew J.; Hayward, Lydia E.; Diedrichs, Phillippa C.; Barlow, Fiona Kate (2014-12-01). "Applying the contact hypothesis to anti-fat attitudes: Contact with overweight people is related to how we interact with our bodies and those of others". Social Science & Medicine. 123: 37–44. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.10.051. ISSN 0277-9536. PMID 25462603.
  29. ^ Mills, Jacqueline; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew (2017-03-01). "Fat Talk and Body Image Disturbance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis". Psychology of Women Quarterly. 41 (1): 114–129. doi:10.1177/0361684316675317. ISSN 0361-6843.
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  31. ^ Dryer, Rachel; Graefin von der Schulenburg, Isabella; Brunton, Robyn (2020-04-15). "Body dissatisfaction and Fat Talk during pregnancy: Predictors of distress". Journal of Affective Disorders. 267: 289–296. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.02.031. ISSN 0165-0327. PMID 32217229.
  32. ^ Mills, Jacqueline; Mort, Olivia; Trawley, Steven (2019-06-01). "The impact of different responses to fat talk on body image and socioemotional outcomes". Body Image. 29: 149–155. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.03.009. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 30999123.
  33. ^ Tucker, Katheryn L.; Martz, Denise M.; Curtin, Lisa A.; Bazzini, Doris G. (2007-06-01). "Examining "fat talk" experimentally in a female dyad: How are women influenced by another woman's body presentation style?". Body Image. 4 (2): 157–164. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2006.12.005. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 18089261.
  34. ^ Stice, Eric; Maxfield, Jennifer; Wells, Tony (2003). "Adverse effects of social pressure to be thin on young women: An experimental investigation of the effects of "fat talk"". International Journal of Eating Disorders. 34 (1): 108–117. doi:10.1002/eat.10171. ISSN 1098-108X. PMID 12772175.
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  36. ^ Mills, Jacqueline; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew (2018-09-01). "Nature and consequences of positively-intended fat talk in daily life". Body Image. 26: 38–49. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.05.004. ISSN 1740-1445. PMID 29883899.
  37. ^ Cruwys, Tegan; Leverington, Carly T.; Sheldon, Anne M. (2016). "An experimental investigation of the consequences and social functions of fat talk in friendship groups". International Journal of Eating Disorders. 49 (1): 84–91. doi:10.1002/eat.22446. ISSN 1098-108X. PMID 26408398.
  38. ^ Stutts, Lauren A.; Myers, Taryn A. (2023-12-07). "The impact of body talk on body dissatisfaction, fat phobia, and negative affect". Stigma and Health. doi:10.1037/sah0000503. ISSN 2376-6964.
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  40. ^ Bove, Caron F.; Sobal, Jeffery (2011-12-01). "Body weight relationships in early marriage. Weight relevance, weight comparisons, and weight talk". Appetite. Feeding infants and young children: guidelines, research and practice. 57 (3): 729–742. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2011.08.007. ISSN 0195-6663. PMC 3229225. PMID 21864601.
  41. ^ Mikell, Christine M.; Martz, Denise M. (April 2016). "Women's Fat Talk Can "Kill the Mood" for Men". Eating Behaviors. 21: 211–213. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2016.03.007. PMID 26998707.
  42. ^ Sandoval, Cassidy M.; Martz, Denise M.; Bazzini, Doris G.; Webb, Rose Mary; Hinkle, Madison M.; Francis, Lauren (2022-04-01). "Does fat talk affect relationship and sexual satisfaction?: Adults' perceptions of fat talk in a fictional romantic relationship". Eating Behaviors. 45: 101603. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101603. ISSN 1471-0153. PMID 35231799.
  43. ^ Vally, Zahir; and Jamilur Rehman, Wafa (2024-12-31). "The effect of an ultra-brief intervention to challenge fat talk: examination of fat talk engagement, body dissatisfaction, and negative affect". Cogent Psychology. 11 (1): 2414614. doi:10.1080/23311908.2024.2414614.
  44. ^ Nolen, Erin; Myers, Taryn A.; Kvaka, Adrienne; Murnen, Sarah K. (2023-03-01). ""Your Body Is Not Representative of Who You Are": Exploring the Relations Between Feminist Attitudes, Feminist Identity, and Responses to Negative Body Talk Among Women". Psychology of Women Quarterly. 47 (1): 113–126. doi:10.1177/03616843221136867. ISSN 0361-6843.
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