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Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
Obesity stigma in online news: a visual content analysis
Chelsea A Heuer1, Kimberly J McClure, Rebecca M Puhl
1Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA.
Journal of Health Communication
|May 5, 2011
Summary
Online news images frequently stigmatize overweight and obese individuals, often showing them negatively. This portrayal reinforces prejudice and discrimination, impacting public perception.
Area of Science:
- Media Studies
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Online news significantly influences public perception.
- Previous research indicates media can perpetuate stereotypes.
- Obesity is a major public health concern with social implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze image content in online obesity news.
- To assess how obese individuals are visually represented.
- To identify negative or stigmatizing portrayals in news photographs.
Main Methods:
- Content analysis of 549 images from 5 major news websites.
- Systematic coding of images accompanying obesity news articles.
- Categorization of individuals in photographs as overweight/obese or nonoverweight.
Main Results:
- 65% of individuals in photos were overweight/obese; 27% nonoverweight.
- 72% of overweight/obese individuals depicted negatively or stigmatized.
- Obese individuals were more likely shown eating, less likely exercising or professionally clothed.
Conclusions:
- Online news photographs frequently stigmatize obese individuals.
- Negative portrayals can reinforce societal prejudice and discrimination.
- This visual bias has significant implications for public attitudes toward obesity.
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