Journal Article — Why Do I Not Like Me? Sociological Self-Reflections on Weight Issues and the American Culture — by C. G.

Back home in the Philippines I was very active and I was always playing outside with my friends. We would explore the seas and its inhabitants by jumping from corals to corals; the sea was practically my backyard back when I was a kid. We would swim in the sea every chance we got; and we would play whatever game there was to play outside. And because of these activities weight was never such a big issue to me. I loved being outside when I was young, but when I immigrated to the U.S. about 11 years ago I was confined to the house we were staying at. My parents would not let me out since it was such a different place for us. I also didn’t want to go out because I had no reason to and because I didn’t know any other kids that were willing to play with me. Therefore, I stayed at home watching TV and eating whatever there was I could find in the fridge. I turned to sweets such as ice cream, chocolate, cake, etc., as a form of comfort. I substituted my old friends in the Philippines for food here. In this essay I explore how the American culture, media, and consumerism influenced my self-perception and self-esteem surrounding weight issues, and how various micro- and macrosociological theories have helped me to understand and deal with the problem.