Food assessment

A discursive analysis of diet talk in interviews with older men who are obese

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21580002
AutoresSarah Seymour-Smith (0000-0002-1213-9160, Nottingham Trent University), Sarah Seymour‐smith (Nottingham Trent University, autor de correspondencia), Brendan Gough (0000-0001-7438-0139, Leeds Beckett University), Christopher R Matthews (0000-0001-8561-2863, Nottingham Trent University), Zoe Rutherford (0000-0002-0499-1134, Leeds Beckett University)
Año2020
Volumen35
Número8
Páginas946-967
Fecha de publicación2020-08-02
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaPsychology & Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0887-0446 • E-ISSN: 1476-8321
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/08870446.2019.1701673
PMID32148091
OpenAlexW3005134641
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas52

Objective: Obesity rates are increasing faster in men than in women, with particular concerns raised regarding older men. However, men are less likely than women to engage in weight-loss activities such as dieting, typically constructed as a feminine practice. Previous research has argued that men’s food consumption is notably different and unhealthier than women’s. The novel contribution of this article is an analysis of food assessments in order to explore how older men (mostly) undergoing weight management programmes make sense of changes in their nutritional intake. Design: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 men who were obese, 27 of whom were engaged in weight loss programmes. Discursive psychology was employed to analyse the data. Results: In contrast to other research, participants constructed nutritional advice as enlightening. Participants worked up ‘ownership’ and pleasure assessments to certain food choices which they contrasted with new, less calorific, eating practices. Moreover, new diets were constructed as acceptable. Conclusion: Our study contributes new insights about how nutritional advice impacts upon preconceived (mis)understandings of healthy eating practices. During the interviews, men positioned themselves as educators – health promoters might usefully develop nutritional advice in collaboration with men who have successfully changed their diets for optimum effect

Dieting · Food choice · Healthy eating · Obesity · Physical activity · Physical therapy · Pleasure · Portion size · Psychotherapist · Weight loss · Weight management · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Humor Studies and Applications · Medicine · Obesity and Health Practices · Psychology · Social Psychology · Food Science · Gerontology