No Clear Winner: Effects of The Biggest Loser on the Stigmatization of Obese Persons

Abstract

Previous research has largely ignored the question of whether watching reality weight-loss TV shows influences viewers to form a negative obesity stereotype. This study examines antecedents and outcomes of watching The Biggest Loser with the Orientation1–Stimulus–Orientation2–Response (O-S-O-R) model. The study found that individuals who are more concerned with their weight (O₁) watch more episodes of The Biggest Loser (S). Meanwhile, consumption of The Biggest Loser leads to greater perceived locus of weight control (O₂), indicating that body weight is under personal control. Perceived locus of weight control, in turn, significantly predicts the attribution of obesity to personal responsibility (R). Ultimately, attributing obesity to personal responsibility leads to the formation of anti-fat attitudes (R). This study offers an integrative theoretical framework to investigate media effects on the formation of an obesity stigma by using the O-S-O-R model. The results imply that certain lifestyle transformation media, such as The Biggest Loser, might reinforce the notion that individuals control their own weight and thus further amplify the obesity stigma.

Notes

¹Since the response format of this scale varied from 4- to 7-point, the score were converted into 0 to 1 to have compatible values in order to calculate for the mean and standard deviation.