Fearing Fat

Abstract

This paper explores the dominant discourses associated with childhood obesity, children's leisure, and parenting practice, as revealed through two mainstream parenting magazines. Specifically, critical discourse analysis (CDA) is used to explore the discursive messages associated with childhood obesity, paying particular attention to the implications of this discourse for children's leisure and for parental responsibility. Implicit and explicit messages from a variety (n=70) of different texts (articles, images, advertisements etc.) were analyzed. Three central themes emerged: (a) instilling a fear of fat, (b) the notion of parental choice, and (c) the obligatory nature of leisure. These themes are discussed in light of critical theory and its application to the moral regulation of parenting as well as children's health and leisure.

Keywords:

• childhood obesity
• critical discourse analysis
• critical theory
• leisure
• parenting