Tools
Tools
Johnson, Brittany, Russell, Kate 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4260-8631 and Peralta, Louisa
(2022)
The ‘good mother’ discourse in ‘success stories’ of Australian weight loss centres: a critical discourses analysis.
Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 14 (5).
pp. 759-777.
ISSN 2159-676X
Preview |
PDF (Published_Version)
- Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (837kB) | Preview |
Abstract
The ‘good mother’ discourse is concerned with the sociocultural construction of motherhood and is visible in many social contexts, such as the workplace, sport, family, and in particular, health-related contexts such as weight loss. This paper explores the ‘good mother’ discourse within constructs of weight created in and through engagement in Australian weight loss centres. Of the 108 success stories collected, Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was applied to eighty-six (n = 86) success stories across three Australian weight loss centres (Weight Watchers, Lite n’ Easy, and Michelle Bridges’ 12 Week Body Transformation). These success stories were published on each of their weight loss centres’ websites and were accessed on Thursday 20 August 2015 for the purpose of analysis. Findings show that there was a dynamic and complex relationship between women losing weight and wanting to maintain the ‘good mother’ status. Mothers felt a strong need to justify losing weight, through benefits for their family rather than for themselves, and were ‘allowed’ (and therefore given ‘permission’) to join and participate in the weight loss centres. The process supporting the development of becoming a ‘better’ mother. Insight into these processes helps us to examine the role weight loss centres play in constructing ideals surrounding gender, motherhood, the body, and in particular for the discursive messages that shape understandings of ‘success’ and being a ‘good mother’.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | australian weight loss centres,discourse,bodies,dieting,the ‘good mother’,social psychology,health(social science),physical therapy, sports therapy and rehabilitation ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200/3207 |
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Oct 2021 00:47 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Oct 2022 03:13 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/81927 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/2159676X.2021.1989711 |
Downloads
Downloads per month over past year
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |