'Fat Talkers' Less Likable among their Peers: Study

Most women are dissatisfied with their figure, and feel self conscious of their body type. Unlike men who are sensitive of their body shape and don't talk about it openly, women, on the other hand, often engage in 'fat talk'.

It has been found in a recent study that women who are always involved in 'fat talk' are less liked by their peers. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Notre Dame, states that women who pass self-disparaging remarks in relation to eating, exercise or their bodies, are less liked by their peers.

The study was led by Alexandra Corning, research associate professor of psychology and director of Notre Dame's Body Image and Eating Disorder Lab, and was presented at the Midwestern Psychological Association annual conference.

To prove the finding, study researchers presented college-age women a series of photos that consisted of noticeably overweight women who were always engaged in either fat talk or positive body talk. After this, the participants were asked to rate the women on different dimensions, including whether they were likeable or not, and to what extent.

The researchers noticed that regardless of whether the women in the photo were overweight, when they made 'fat talk' statements, they were rated as significantly less likeable.

Those overweight women who made positive statements about their body were rated as most likeable.

"Though it has become a regular part of everyday conversation, 'fat talk' is far from innocuous," Corning said in a press statement. "It is strongly associated with, and can even cause, body dissatisfaction, which is a known risk factor for the development of eating disorders."

Many psychologists believe that 'fat talk' is a way most women attempt to begin and strengthen social bonds. Compared to those women who make positive statements about their body, 'fat talkers' are less liked.

The study raises awareness on how women are perceived when they involve in self-abasing conversation.