Sociology Research Seminar Abstracts
Being 'fat' in today's world: Understanding the lived experience of obesity
Samantha Thomas
Monash University
Abstract
What is it like to live with obesity? Whilst there has been increased media and public health emphasis on the obesity epidemic, very few research studies have actually examined the experiences and opinions of those who are seriously overweight in Australia. Dr Samantha Thomas and researchers at Monash University have been working with overweight and obese adults to investigate the social consequences of being obese in Australia, and to uncover the reasons why more and more Australians are becoming obese. The qualitative research has received international praise and recognition for documenting how overweight people are treated by society and what social issues they deal with as a result of being overweight. This seminar will discuss the results of the study and discuss how qualitative research into obesity may enable us to devise strategies and programs to help overweight individuals better manage their condition and emotional well-being.
Bio
Dr Samantha Thomas
Dr Samantha Thomas is Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow at the Monash Centre for Ethics in Medicine in Society. Her research into the 'lived experience' of obesity has attracted widespread recognition both nationally and internationally. She was lead author on the first international study looking at how The Biggest Loser impacts on obese individuals, and was recently interviewed by Time magazine about this research. Dr Thomas provides regular comment in national and international media about obesity; the social and cultural aspects of health and wellbeing; and the impact of popular culture on society. Her latest research explores the positive and negative impacts of internet social networking sites (such as Myspace and Facebook) on youth culture and identity. http://www.cems.monash.org/samantha-thomas.html