In an emotional television special of An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution, media mogul Oprah Winfrey candidly shared her lifelong struggles with weight and the impact of using weight-loss medication.
The 70-year-old broadcasting icon fought back tears as she recounted the years of self-blame and societal ridicule she endured, describing the national fascination with mocking her figure as a “sport.”
Winfrey revealed a newfound “sense of hope” after realizing that her challenges were not simply a matter of willpower but rather a complex interplay between biology and psychology.
Her voice thick with emotion, she said
“All these years I thought all of the people who never had to diet were just using their willpower and they were for some reason stronger than me. And now I realise y’all weren’t even thinking about the food. It’s not that you had the willpower you weren’t thinking about, you weren’t obsessing about it. That is the big thing I learned.”
The hour-long program delved into Winfrey’s unhealthy relationship with food, shedding light on the deeply ingrained shame and stigma surrounding obesity. She shared her determination to break free from these societal burdens, stating,
“I come to this conversation in the hope that we can start releasing the stigma and the shame and the judgement to stop shaming other people for being overweight, or how they choose to lose or not lose weight, and more importantly to stop shaming ourselves….I took on the shame the world gave to me for 25 years. Making fun of my weight was a national sport.”
Oprah Winfrey’s candid discussion touched on the transformative impact of weight-loss medication, which she described as a “maintenance tool” and a source of relief after decades of yo-yo dieting.
“In my lifetime, I never dreamed that we would be talking about medicines that are providing hope for people like me who have struggled for years with being overweight or with obesity.”
Throughout the program, Winfrey engaged in thoughtful conversations with patients, medical professionals, and those who had experienced both positive and adverse effects of weight-loss interventions.
She also addressed her recent decision to step down from the board of Weight Watchers, a company she had invested in and endorsed, citing a desire to maintain impartiality during the special episode.
Oprah Winfrey’s revelations resonated with audiences, setting off a broader dialogue about the complex interplay of genetics, mental health, and societal pressures surrounding weight and body image.
