The influence of dominant obesity discourse on child health narratives: a qualitative study

Abstract

The medicalization of obesity encourages the structural and interpersonal regulation and monitoring of people who appear to be overweight or obese, with particular attention paid to low-income and minority populations; these dynamics serve to perpetuate contemporary social inequalities. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the perceptions of health and obesity among mostly Black parents and mostly White school personnel at a US elementary school serving low-income Black children, compare these perceptions to the dominant obesity discourse, and explore possible differences in child health narratives and obesity discourse based on race. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 parents and 20 school personnel, which were part of a larger ethnographic study. Three main themes around dominant obesity discourse were identified from the in-depth interviews with parents and school personnel: (1) reflections of obesity discourse in child health narratives, (2) identifying ‘deviant others’, and (3) challenging obesity discourse. By engaging in dominant obesity discourse, school community members create an environment where children are taught possibly damaging ways to view their bodies and health. The findings from this study are evidence of the need for health messaging within the school environment that recognizes the complexities of child health.