(Re)conceptualizing fatness as a medical and moral issue in the Finnish media discourse on fat and Ozempic in 2022–2023

Abstract

Over recent years, media discourse on fatness and weight loss has undergone significant changes. The mid-2010s saw a surge in body positivity, challenging the biomedical view of fatness and bringing social, political, and personal perspectives to the forefront. However, this body positivity influence appears to have waned, giving way to a new medicalized era driven by the global off-label use of diabetes drugs like Ozempic for weight loss. This article examines recent Finnish media discourse on fatness and Ozempic, where the media uncritically promotes Ozempic as a “miracle drug” and revives the traditional weight loss success narrative, with little to no trace of body positivity. We explore how fatness is reconceptualized as both a medical and moral issue, focusing on the shift from body positivity to a traditional weight loss discourse, and the portrayal of fat individuals as immoral for using a drug intended for diabetics, thereby allegedly contributing to supply shortages. The study is based on a qualitative content and discourse analysis of 28 Finnish-language articles published between September 2022 and September 2023 in magazines and newspapers.