Visual Representation of Fatness and Health in High School Health Texts

Abstract

This project examines visual portrayals of fatness in a sample of five high school health textbooks. Findings include gross underrepresentation of fat people, universally negative portrayals of fatness, assumptions about the incompatibility of fatness with health, and numerous instances of confusing, contradictory, or dangerous advice to teens. These texts are likely to contribute to further stigmatization and marginalization of fat people and to negatively affect the psychological well-being of teenagers exposed to them.

Keywords:

• body image
• curricula
• health
• stigma
• teens
• textbooks
• underrepresentation