If despite Oprah Winfrey's efforts, weight loss eludes her success, no one is exempt from facing similar challenges.
Beyond the notable TV moments, interviews, and accomplishments, Trotter, now a registered dietitian, recalls that Oprah Winfrey was famously recognized for something else: her physical frame.
A significant event in 1988 resonated with numerous individuals when Winfrey appeared on her nationwide television show, pulling a little red wagon laden with 67 pounds of animal fat - corresponding to the weight she had shed at that time. spectators were eager to observe her regain the weight, the method she would employ to shed it once more, and most recently, whether she'd opt for a medication such as GLP-1 to shrink her size.
The unforgiving gaze that Winfrey faced throughout her body transformations mirrors the scrutiny encountered by countless individuals, according to Dr. Alexis Conason, a psychologist and certified eating disorder specialist based in New York City.
Such scrutiny stems from diet culture, the influencing factors and beliefs shaping consumption habits, driven by societal pressure to adhere to an ideal body type, experts assert.
Conason emphasized, "The urge to belittle individuals, particularly women, and highlight their imperfections as a means to strip them of power has been an historically used tactic in the media. And this continues to this day."
Winfrey's body criticism highlights diet culture's futility, even for influential figures worldwide, specialists maintain.
Weight fluctuations - the scrutiny persists
Many individuals have experienced diet culture’s pressure to shed weight, but frequently, the belief prevails that the attention will fade once the goal weight is achieved. However, all too often, this is not the case.
Whether maintaining, gaining, or losing weight, numerous clients share with New York City dietitian Kimmie Singh that they believe their body is under constant observation, she said.
"It's something that's normalized—from magazines but also from casual discussions at dinner tables, or compliments directed at the person who has lost weight," Singh highlighted.
Even if one reaches a body size deemed desirable by society, the societal standards shift, pressuring individuals to attain the perfect figure, Trotter noted, who is also a doctor of nursing practice and mental health nurse practitioner based in Austin, Texas.
The fallacies of weight and stature
Linked to this obsession with other people's physiques are two harmful ideas: that one's weight is within their control and that the size of a body is connected with moral value, Conason claimed.
"There's a cultural narrative that it is morally weak to inhabit a larger body. There are numerous negative associations related to fatness, such as laziness, lack of intelligence, lack of motivation, lack of self-care, and lack of discipline," she pointed out.
Believing these associations justifies the discrimination and cruelty people exhibit towards individuals with larger bodies, according to Conason.
"Everything comes back to the misconception of personal responsibility regarding weight and body size, the notion that if you just work hard enough, you can achieve the cultural ideal of thinness and be accepted," she added.
This perception of weight and acceptance is not accurate, asserted Dr. Chika Anekwe, obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center and instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
While some individuals are biologically resistant to obesity, others may make substantial lifestyle adjustments yet still struggle to maintain weight loss, she argued. Moreover, individuals' weight is increasingly influenced by external factors like food accessibility, physical activity opportunities, and healthcare resources, Anekwe emphasized.
A 2019 meta-analysis revealed that over 80% of weight loss is regained after five years.
"If people could autonomously dictate their body weight, size, or shape, we wouldn't have such a thriving diet culture industry," Anekwe concluded.
'Moral' methods for losing weight
Even when people appear to be shedding weight, they may still be playing the diet culture losing game.
The prevailing popularity of GLP-1 medications, originally prescribed for diabetes but now utilized for weight loss, has popularized the notion that a smaller body is a matter of personal choice, Conason observed. She also mentioned that it fosters another opportunity for society to critique how people shed weight.
"There's an intense curiosity, even a violation of HIPAA regulations, when it comes to GLP-1 medications," Trotter noted, referring to the federal law regulating the disclosure of medical information.
In the societal hierarchy of what's considered the 'most moral' methods for losing weight, medication ranks near the bottom, pointed out Bri Campos, a body image coach from Paramus, New Jersey.
"Unless you're part of the 5% of people who can sustain a caloric deficit for an extended period (over five years), increase physical activity, and maintain the weight loss, your weight loss efforts don't amount to anything," Campos said.
Such reactions surfaced with celebrities like Lizzo, Kelly Clarkson, and Winfrey—their bodies signaled weight loss, sparking intense speculation about how they accomplished it.
"There's so much mistrust towards individuals of size in general," Singh noted. "People frantically search for opportunities to expose and shame overweight people, hoping to catch them in the act of indulging."
People enjoy feeling superior to others who abstain from pleasures, Conason suggested. Additionally, some face criticism for employing weight-loss methods that society deems indulgent, according to Singh.
Whether it's trying out trendy diets, using GLP-1 medication for weight loss, or undergoing bariatric surgery, it simply highlights our perpetual inadequacy in the face of diet culture's expectations, she explained.
The objective may be to make individuals feel insignificant
Given that most individuals struggle to gain societal acceptance for their natural physiques, can't sustain long-term weight loss through strict dieting, or face scrutiny for utilizing alternative weight loss methods, what is the purpose of diet culture then?
One plausible explanation is that diet culture serves to maintain power imbalances.
Successful men are often judged based on their achievements, not their appearance, but this isn't universally true, Conason pointed out.
Winfrey, a globally influential figure, has nonetheless been subject to body scrutiny –– a reminder to influential women that their body size, clothing choices, hairstyles, and adherence to beauty standards continue to shape their worth, she added.
Campos shares stories of women, transgender, and nonbinary individuals who seek her guidance on body image issues. They are accomplished professionals in fields like science, technology, and law, or have graduated from prestigious universities, yet still grapple with the notion that their achievements are overshadowed by others' perceptions of their bodies, she said.
“We know this because of Oprah, because of the Kardashians, because of all these individuals who persistently pursue Western beauty ideals. It's a myth that you'll ever reach a point of safety,” Campos concluded. “There is always something else to strive for. If it's not your weight, it will be aging, there's always something.”
Quit discussing other people's bodies
Disentangling yourself from the grip of diet culture is no easy task, but it can commence with becoming more self-aware of its impact on you, Conason suggested.
“The more we comprehend what diet culture is, what weight stigma is, how it manifests itself in our lives, the more we're able to observe it and question it, rather than mindlessly absorbing it,” she explained.
It's also crucial to recognize that others' bodies should never become a topic of discussion –– even if you believe discussing their weight loss is a compliment, Conason added. And weighing in on celebrities' bodies doesn't make such observations any more acceptable.
Negative comments and criticisms you make about others' bodies also impact your self-perception, Conason emphasized.
“Oprah might not listen to what my friends or social media say about her, but the people in my life very often do,” she said. “It hurts the everyday individuals in our lives who might be in larger bodies, who may or may not be using GLP-1, who may or may not be battling eating disorders.”
In the quest for wellness and improved health, individuals often turn to weight loss strategies. As Trotter, a registered dietitian, mentioned, Winfrey's body transformation sparked immense interest, with spectators eager to understand her methods and results. However, the constant scrutiny and criticism faced by Winfrey and others underscore the harmful effects of diet culture, emphasized by Conason, a psychologist and certified eating disorder specialist. This relentless focus on bodies and weight can lead to negative associations and discrimination towards individuals with larger bodies, a misconception that needs to be challenged for societal acceptance and body positivity.
