Ep. 24: Fat Kids, Working Moms, Mother-Blame and more - PART TWO - Dr. Natalie Boero

Dr. Natalie Boero is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at San Jose State University. She joins Every Body this week to discuss the ways our society pigeon holes obesity as a personal problem for the individual rather than examining the wider socioeconomic scope (access to good health care, food deserts, safe places to play and be active)  and its effects on public health. Dr. Boero discusses how she began in the field with her first book, Killer Fat: Media, Medicine and Morals in the American Obesity Epidemic. She explains the problem with medicalizing non-medical instances such as weight or violence with words like "epidemic" which cause panic and risky preventative measures. It was such a pleasure to hear Dr. Boero's thoughts and research on everything from obesity myths to the privilege of "the good fatty." Take a listen and join us in the conversation with us!   "My being the 'good fatty' probably has a lot to do with my class and race privilege in the sense that I have the resources to do certain things or I have the absence of other privileges that sort of blunt some of the other stigmas that I have experienced... we shouldn't judge moral worth based on health." - Dr. Natalie Boero   This Week on the Every Body Podcast: How Dr. Boero began her study into the "obesity epidemic" with her dissertation.  How the term "obesity epidemic" was coined. The ways that weight bias has become a scapegoat in blaming minority groups for their own disadvantages. The effects of socioeconomics on weight and health.  The correlation between chronic dieting and food restriction in the last 70 years with the general increase in the weight of Americans.  The problematic ways we produce and distribute food globally.  How focusing on fatness distracts from the larger public interest (i.e. psychological effects of fat stigma, access to safe places to play/be active, etc). The extremes that our culture falls into ("epidemic," "cleanse," "addict," etc) in the name of "health." "The good fatty" and myths about "human value being predicated on health."   Additional Resources: College of Social Sciences Department of Sociology The New Yorker, "Why Are Americans Fat?" More information about "Killer Fat" just published by Rutgers University Press in August 2012!! "Killer Fat" on Amazon.com   Studies Mentioned: The Care Plus Study Race, socioeconomic status and health. The added effects of racism and discrimination.  Socioeconomic factor, health behaviors, and mortality: results from a nationally representative prospective study of US adults. Busting the Sugar-Hyperactivity Myth   Rate & Share Thank you for joining me this week on the Every Body podcast. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, head over to iTunes , subscribe to the show and leave a review to help us grow the podcast. Don’t forget to visit our website , follow us on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram so you never miss an episode!