Framing Obesity As a Health Individualism Construct
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
FRAMING ACTION: ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF OBESITY FRAMING ON PROGRAM DESIGN IN BRITISH COLUMBIA by Lindsay Zibrik B.A. (Honors), Simon Fraser University, 2007 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS In the Department of Political Science © Lindsay Zibrik 2009 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2009 All rights reserved. However, in accordance with the Copyright Act of Canada, this work may be reproduced, without authorization, under the conditions for Fair Dealing. Therefore, limited reproduction of this work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review and news reporting is likely to be in accordance with the law, particularly if cited appropriately. APPROVAL Name: Lindsay Zibrik Degree: Master of Arts, Department of Political Science Title of Thesis: Framing Action: Assessing the Impact of Obesity Framing on Program Design in British Columbia Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. Eric Hershberg, Professor Department of Political Science ________________________________________ Dr. Michael Howlett, Professor Senior Supervisor Department of Political Science ________________________________________ Dr. Anthony Perl, Professor Supervisor Department of Political Science ________________________________________ Dr. Scott Lear, Professor Supervisor Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology ________________________________________ Dr. Alan Davidson, Associate Professor External Examiner Health Studies, Faculty of Health & Social Development University of British Columbia Okanagan Date Approved: June 25, 2009 ii Declaration of Partial Copyright Licence The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. The author has further granted permission to Simon Fraser University to keep or make a digital copy for use in its circulating collection (currently available to the public at the “Institutional Repository” link of the SFU Library website <www.lib.sfu.ca> at: <http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/handle/1892/112>) and, without changing the content, to translate the thesis/project or extended essays, if technically possible, to any medium or format for the purpose of preservation of the digital work. The author has further agreed that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission. Permission for public performance, or limited permission for private scholarly use, of any multimedia materials forming part of this work, may have been granted by the author. This information may be found on the separately catalogued multimedia material and in the signed Partial Copyright Licence. While licensing SFU to permit the above uses, the author retains copyright in the thesis, project or extended essays, including the right to change the work for subsequent purposes, including editing and publishing the work in whole or in part, and licensing other parties, as the author may desire. The original Partial Copyright Licence attesting to these terms, and signed by this author, may be found in the original bound copy of this work, retained in the Simon Fraser University Archive. Simon Fraser University Library Burnaby, BC, Canada Last revision: Spring 09 ABSTRACT The percentage of Canadians who are overweight or obese has risen dramatically in the past twenty years, prompting federal and provincial governments to take action on obesity. This thesis studies the impact of obesity framing on program design in BC. The focus of this thesis is two-fold. First, it is demonstrated how ideas and discursive processes are framing obesity as a health individualism construct. Second, it is shown how dominant obesity orthodoxy is impacting the design and creation of obesity intervention strategies in BC. It is shown that antiobesity literature has been instrumental in framing obesity as a serious health problem for which individuals are ultimately responsible. Moreover, it is argued that obesity program design in BC has centered on obesity as a health individualism construct, which has had the effect of relegating Government to a resource- base, relying on nodality-based policy instruments such as self-serve e-health resources and information campaigns. Keywords: obesity; British Columbia; program design; frame analysis; obesity framing; health individualism; discourse analysis; antiobesity; fat acceptance iii To my parents iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My utmost gratitude goes to my thesis advisor Dr. Michael Howlett for his attention, guidance, insight and, most of all, his patience in the preparation of this thesis. This work would not have been possible without Dr. Michael Howlett’s continual encouragement and support. I thank him also for providing an opportunity to grow as a student. Special thanks go to my committee members Dr. Anthony Perl and Dr. Scott Lear, who have offered guidance and constructive and challenging comments. My thanks and appreciation also go to my external examiner, Dr. Alan Davidson who provided invaluable feedback. Above all, I thank my parents, Ray and Debbie, who showed unconditional support and love through this long process. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Approval ..........................................................................................................................................ii Abstract...........................................................................................................................................iii Dedication....................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements.......................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents............................................................................................................................ vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................viii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background and Justification.................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 2: Methodology................................................................................................................ 5 2.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Methodology......................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 3: Framing Obesity....................................................................................................... 15 3.1 Defining Obesity................................................................................................................... 15 3.1.1 The Causes of Obesity............................................................................................. 21 3.1.1.1 Genetic Factors ........................................................................................ 22 3.1.1.2 Biologic Factors....................................................................................... 23 3.1.1.3 Environmental Factors............................................................................. 23 3.1.1.4 Social Factors........................................................................................... 24 3.1.1.5 Cultural Factors ....................................................................................... 26 3.1.1.6 Other Causes of Obesity .......................................................................... 26 3.1.2 The Health Risks of Obesity.................................................................................... 27 3.2 How is Obesity Being Framed? ............................................................................................ 28 3.2.1 The Antiobesity Camp............................................................................................. 30 3.2.1.1 “Obesity as Risky Behaviour” Frame...................................................... 33 3.2.1.2 “Obesity as Epidemic” Frame.................................................................. 34 3.2.2 The Fat Acceptance Camp....................................................................................... 35 3.2.2.1 “Fatness as Body Diversity” Frame......................................................... 39 3.2.2.2 “Obesity as Disease” Frame .................................................................... 40 3.3 The Politics of Obesity ......................................................................................................... 40 3.4 The Struggle for Obesity Framing ........................................................................................ 49 3.4.1 “Individualism” as Dominant Obesity Orthodoxy..................................................