Study Shows “Fat Talk” Makes Women Less Likeable

Women who make self-disparaging remarks – “fat talk” – about eating, exercise or their bodies are less liked by their peers, according to a U.S. study. For the study, researchers showed photos to participants of women with various body types engaging in either “fat talk” or positive body talk. Overweight women in the photos who made positive statements about their bodies were the most liked. It was once thought that “fat talk” behaviors by women helped create and strengthen social bonds, but the study showed that “fat talk” is actually a turn off and “far from innocuous”.