Peer Review

"Overweight" Bodies, Real and Imagined

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Sep 7, 2025 by Sociology

Bookmark

Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This interdisciplinary anthology addresses the complex topic of obesity, merging scientific understanding with cultural critique. Divided into five major sections, the text explores the biological, behavioral, and systemic aspects of weight, while challenging harmful assumptions and biases in healthcare and society. Authors and contributors examine how culture shapes perceptions of health and body image. Readers are encouraged to question their assumptions and recognize how race, class, and systemic inequality intersect with health outcomes.

Type of Material:

Open (Access) Textbook

Recommended Uses:

The first part of this book focuses on developing students’ scientific thinking and their ability to seek out and evaluate information; the second part of this book encourages skepticism in detecting misinformation in the study of the causes and nature of obesity.

The anti-bias materials in the second part of this anthology allow readers to develop their own “deconstructing bias” rubric using guiding questions from theoretical articles. Students who have read and processed this textbook will be literate in the ongoing conversation around representations of health and disease in minoritized communities.

The supplemental materials are in-class activities that examine the process of making claims and providing evidence to support them. This prepares them to have informed discussions about bodies and body weight.

Useful for courses in health sciences, public health, nutrition, sociology, psychology, and English composition. It supports discussions around implicit bias, medical discrimination, and culturally responsive healthcare. It offers adaptable assignments for group discussions, journaling, and classroom debates.

Technical Requirements:

Internet. No specific browser needed.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

The guiding questions for this anthology included:

What is the link between lifestyle and obesity?
How do our everyday choices impact our wellness?
What are the social realities and government policies that intersect with physical and mental illness (e.g. Why are certain groups more at risk for not only obesity but depression, less likely to consider diet and exercise important, and less likely to seek treatment for both physical and mental health problems?).
Who is centered by any particular health literacy narrative?
What does it mean for white people to make statements about the health-seeking behavior of Black and Latinx people?

Target Student Population:

College Upper Division, Graduate School, Professional

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Understanding of metabolism, energy balance, BMI, and general physiology.Familiarity with public health terminology (e.g., comorbidities, risk factors, health disparities). Concepts such as systemic inequality, cultural norms, and the influence of social structures on behavior. Familiarity with terms like social determinants of health, structural racism, and intersectionality.

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

The organization of this textbook is well thought out. The writing is clear and concise. It provides students with the necessary information (concepts and tools) to assist in navigating discussions surrounding bodies and body weight, including sociocultural factors influencing health outcomes.

Although designed for use as a textbook various chapters could be used independently. For example, a research methods class may look at the indicators of Health: BMI, Body Composition, and Metabolic Health.

The textbook presents foundational concepts in energy balance, metabolic health, and body composition, while also exploring sociocultural critiques of obesity narratives in media and medicine. It addresses bias in healthcare settings, the rise of anti-diet culture, and the importance of cultural competence in health discourse.

Concerns:

Several examples and case studies are presented in lengthy, multi-page formats, which may reduce their accessibility and impact for some readers. While the detailed treatment allows for thorough exploration of complex issues, the lack of concise summaries or more focused examples can make it challenging for students to quickly grasp the core points. This can potentially hinder engagement, especially in classroom settings where time is limited or where students benefit from succinct illustrations. Incorporating more concise, clearly highlighted key takeaways alongside the extended examples could improve clarity and usability without sacrificing depth.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

The text does a nice job of connecting the concepts progressively, preparing students to critically review health-related information and participate in discussions. The writing exercises could be used in any discipline.

Strong interdisciplinary connections are clearly illustrated (e.g., how bias influences health outcomes). Modular chapters and standalone activities facilitate flexible integration across diverse courses.

Concerns:

Although learning objectives are identified in the author's introduction, there are no learning objectives explicitly stated at the beginning of the chapter. A few of the chapters seem to be missing a reflective/application assignment.

Some prerequisites are implied (basic biology, social science concepts), but explicit statements on required prior knowledge are limited. Concepts develop logically from biological foundations to social critiques, with some repetition that supports reinforcement.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

This text uses the Pressbooks platform and is easy to navigate among the chapters. There is interactivity via links to various assessments. Links to resources are headings/text.

The text is well-organized with clear headings; no complex registration or tech needed, making access straightforward. Navigation through the headers is simple and similar throughout chapters. Graphics break up sections well and organize ideas together. Instructions for activities and exercises are generally clear, though some sections could benefit from more step-by-step guidance. Content is thought-provoking and relevant but occasionally dense; longer examples may reduce reader engagement.

Concerns:

The design elements should be reviewed for contrast and readability. Some of the black letters on a dark blue or green were hard to read. Image descriptions could be added. Although the sources are cited.

Other Issues and Comments:: Layout is clean but mostly text-heavy; limited use of graphics or visual aids to break up content. Many of the graphics are pictures and less instructive in content. This was first published in 2023. A revised edition was published in 2025.
Creative Commons: