ABSTRACT
Women frequently reference weight in their talk (e.g., “I’m so fat”). This chapter reviews the literature on weight-related communication— fat talk—and presents a conceptual model describing the antecedents and consequences of engaging in communicative interactions about weight at the individual, relational, and social identity levels. Our model expands previous understandings by proposing that fat talk needs to be understood as a psychological, interpersonal, and collective phenomenon. By investigating and acknowledging the causes, consequences, and processes of fat talk, we anticipate potential in altering individuals’ and society’s ideas, expectations, and discourse about the ideal body image.
