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In her presentation, Jan Wright will develop the argument that the 'obesity epidemic' is, as much as anything else, a social idea (ideology), constructed at the intersection of scientific knowledge and a complex of culturally based beliefs, values and ideals, some of which are distinctly more powerful in shaping health agendas than others.
Sociological and feminist work on health and the body will be used to help understand why the 'obesity epidemic' has come to such prominence as a health issue in the face of considerable scientific uncertainty .
In addition, she will examine the effects of 'obesity epidemic' thinking, in terms of how it makes possible ways of judging individuals and social groups and thereby opens up spaces for particular policies, interventions and practices.
In interrogating the 'obesity epidemic' as a social construction, the aim will also be to suggest ways of thinking about the 'obesity epidemic' differently, which can be deployed in schools, families and health contexts to diminish its effects.
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