Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair and Members

Elizabeth Kudadjie-Gyamfi, Committee Chair

Elizabeth Edgar, Committee Member

Keywords

Framing, Magazines, Mental health, Obesity, Psychological impact, Weight loss

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine how the top four magazines in America portray the issue of obesity in terms of responsibility and in relation to mental health. Additionally, it is to determine the kind of framing used to present the issue of obesity. The data of this study is limited to Costco Connection, Better Homes & Gardens, AARP, and People magazine. Data has been divided into two timelines, one from January 2020-January 2026 and the other from January 2022-January 2026. Results indicate that magazine articles primarily attribute the cause of and solution to obesity as behavioral and frame the issue of obesity episodically. There is a significant difference in distribution in the attribution of the causes of obesity. A very small number of articles mentioned the psychological benefits of losing weight and getting healthier. Changing the narrative regarding obesity by including information on how obesity might be related to an individual’s mental health as well as physical health might be useful.

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