This study examines the perceptions of the personal risks and benefits of women who blog about weight, weight loss, and dieting issues. Many overweight women use blogs as a tool during their weight loss journeys to garner support. The experiences of 5 women who blog about weight and dieting issues were collected through 45 minute in-depth interviews. The author's own experiences with blogging is analyzed as well. A qualitative approach was taken when analyzing the data. Eight emergent themes came from the research data. The benefits of this study are significant for current and future research regarding the influence of blogs and vlogs in shaping the perceptions and experiences of women who identify as overweight.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study examines the perceptions of the personal risks and benefits of women who blog about weight, weight loss, and dieting issues. Many overweight women use blogs as a tool during their weight loss journeys to garner support. The experiences of 5 women who blog about weight and dieting issues were collected through 45 minute in-depth interviews. The author's own experiences with blogging is analyzed as well. A qualitative approach was taken when analyzing the data. Eight emergent themes came from the research data. The benefits of this study are significant for current and future research regarding the influence of blogs and vlogs in shaping the perceptions and experiences of women who identify as overweight.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sneed, Melissa Marie"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MA (Master of Arts)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Communication, Professional","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-12-15T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-12-15T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:31Z","subjects":["weight loss","women","social support","diet","blogging","Gender and Sexuality","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1495","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sneed, Melissa Marie"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2012-12-15T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication, Professional"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MA (Master of Arts)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["weight loss","women","social support","diet","blogging","Gender and Sexuality","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2688/viewcontent/SneedM120412f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1495"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study examines the perceptions of the personal risks and benefits of women who blog about weight, weight loss, and dieting issues. Many overweight women use blogs as a tool during their weight loss journeys to garner support. The experiences of 5 women who blog about weight and dieting issues were collected through 45 minute in-depth interviews. The author's own experiences with blogging is analyzed as well. A qualitative approach was taken when analyzing the data. Eight emergent themes came from the research data. The benefits of this study are significant for current and future research regarding the influence of blogs and vlogs in shaping the perceptions and experiences of women who identify as overweight.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Blogging in the Fatosphere: A Qualitative Study of Perceptions of Personal Risks and Benefits for Women who Blog about Weight, Weight Loss, and Dieting Issues"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Sneed, Melissa Marie"],"dc:date.issued":["2012-12-15T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study examines the perceptions of the personal risks and benefits of women who blog about weight, weight loss, and dieting issues. Many overweight women use blogs as a tool during their weight loss journeys to garner support. The experiences of 5 women who blog about weight and dieting issues were collected through 45 minute in-depth interviews. The author's own experiences with blogging is analyzed as well. A qualitative approach was taken when analyzing the data. Eight emergent themes came from the research data. The benefits of this study are significant for current and future research regarding the influence of blogs and vlogs in shaping the perceptions and experiences of women who identify as overweight.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2688/viewcontent/SneedM120412f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1495"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["weight loss","women","social support","diet","blogging","Gender and Sexuality","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"],"dc:title":["Blogging in the Fatosphere: A Qualitative Study of Perceptions of Personal Risks and Benefits for Women who Blog about Weight, Weight Loss, and Dieting Issues"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Communication, Professional"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["MA (Master of Arts)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:31Z"}