Women and Dieting Culture: Inside a Commercial Weight Loss Group
Commercial weight loss organizations have come under attack from feminist scholars for perpetuating the values that cause women to obsess about their weight. This book asks how these values are transmitted and how the wo. . . More >>
Women and Dieting Culture: Inside a Commercial Weight Loss Group
In this book, the author immerses herself in the “diet world. ” She joins dieting groups like Weight Watchers, buys diet food, and most importantly, talks to dieting women. She is a sociologist, but she not only gathers information about other women, she asks herself the same questions. Although I can see this as a textbook for a women’s studies class, I didn’t find it a difficult or boring read. I found it fascinating. And as someone who has done quite a bit of my own research in this area, I found a host of new insights and ideas. Very well done.
Rating: 4 / 5
Stinson has done an excellent job of capturing the commercial weight loss group which she studied. She not only does an excellent job of explaining and describing the plight of women’s obsession with body and weight loss, she also does a wonderful job of tying it into how the lives of women are affected by the dieting industiry and in particular the weight loss group she was looking at. The categories she draws seem relevant and well thought out. As a senior sociology student myself, Stinson’s perspective is insightful yet does not get bogged down in too much theoretical jargon. Even, “mass society” can appreciate the information in this book. However, if you are looking for something MORE sociological as far as qualitative research methods goes, Stinson does not delve into the methods of her research in much detail. But again, this makes the book acessible to a larger audience. If you’re looking for a better understanding of the dieting industry and how women “participating” in the industry understand their weight and weight loss, check out Stinson’s book! You won’t be disappointed. . . .
Rating: 5 / 5