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To examine how body size is portrayed on television--and why it matters--we conducted a multi-part study analyzing depictions of fat and non-thin characters across medical and non-medical contexts, as well as the impact of a weight-stigma storyline on future health professionals.
Characters in larger bodies are often narrowly framed, with storylines emphasizing individual responsibility and rarely challenging common myths about weight and health. Importantly, exposure to a storyline that actively challenged weight stigma led student health professionals to express less bias and greater intention to adopt more supportive, non-judgmental practices—underscoring the power of entertainment to shape more inclusive narratives and real-world outcomes. Read the report. Tipsheet for content creators. |