"Fat Talk" May Make You Less Likable – Eating Disorders – About.com – About

Professor Alexandra Corning  and her team in the Department of Psychology at The University of Notre Dame recently presented their research findings at the Midwest Psychological Association on the likability of women who engage in fat talk.

Fat talk is a type self-disparaging speech about weight, food, and/or dieting.  It is often characterized by conversations about what one should or shouldn't be eating, how much someone should or shouldn't be exercising and how they feel about their current size, shape, and/or weight.  Research has shown that this type of talk has  negative consequences including placing people at a higher risk for the development and/or maintenance of eating disorders.

This study utilized 139 undergraduate participants who were of 'normal' or 'average' size.  The participants were shown photographs and quoted statements by women who were noticeably thin and noticeably overweight.  Some of the statements were clearly fat talk, while others contained body affirmations.

The study found that people found the women (both thin and overweight) making positive statements about their bodies to be more likeable than those who were engaging in fat talk.

This research backs up what I have heard from clients who discuss the negative effects of being around people who are negative about their bodies and the positive and supportive relationships they are able to build with people who are body-affirming.

How do you talk about your body?  Even if you don't have an eating disorder, the way you talk may affect those around you and your relationships.  Do you need to work on excluding fat talk from your life?

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