ORCID Identifier(s)

0009-0008-1694-2584

Graduation Semester and Year

2023

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Sociology

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

First Advisor

Heather Jacobson

Abstract

This study examines the effects of early socialization about the body within mother/daughter relationships and its impact on the practice of Intuitive Eating (a practice of listening to one’s own body regarding food, rather than following dieting rules). Though researchers have widely explored mother/daughter relationships and dieting, this study seeks to build on this previous research, while also examining it through a new lens of adult women’s experiences with Intuitive Eating. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 adult women who identify as Intuitive Eaters. Interviews focused on answering three research questions; (1) how does early socialization about food and the body shape how adult women think and talk about their bodies? (2) how do the interactions daughters have with their mothers impact adult women’s body satisfaction? (3) how do these early experiences play a role in women’s current practices of Intuitive Eating? Findings show that women remember being heavily socialized as young girls about the body and dieting, and that they recall their mothers playing an important role in this socialization. Even without open discussion on such topics, women recall as children observing their mothers’ feelings about their own bodies and dieting practices. Early communication patterns about the body between mothers and daughters continue into adulthood and shape Intuitive Eating practices. Although Intuitive Eating changes practitioners’ approach to food and the body, the women in this study remain guarded about body talk. Intuitive Eaters who are now mothers, however, express the desire to establish new communication patterns about the body with their own children based on Intuitive Eating principles.

Keywords

Mothers, Daughter, Diet Culture, Intuitive eating

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences | Sociology

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

Download

Included in

Sociology Commons

Share

COinS