Fat talk
Fat talk
Fat talk describes casual, often self-directed remarks about weight, eating, and shape (examples: "I'm so fat", "I shouldn't eat that"). The term was popularised by Mimi Nichter and is widely studied as a social behaviour that reinforces body dissatisfaction and self-objectification.
Why it matters
- Normalises appearance anxiety and keeps attention focused on weight and shape.
- Encourages social comparison and can precipitate dieting, unhealthy weight control behaviours, and disordered eating.
- Correlates with higher body shame and lower body satisfaction, especially among adolescent girls and young women.
In social and erotic writing
- Use fat talk to reveal characters' internalised standards or to create realistic peer dynamics.
- Show consequences: how repeated fat talk can erode self-confidence and shape sexual self-image.