Phen Phen, BMI, and Bariatric Surgery I & II
Podcast
tamawuj.org
commissioned by online publishing platform of Sharjah Biennial 13
2018
In Lebanon, questions of beauty, status, and we
alth are closely linked to appearance and particularly body weight. By observing the extensive culture of dieting, weight loss surgery, and the commercial network around eating habits in Lebanon, I set out on a research project looking into the work of dietitians and surgeons, with their regular appearances on local television, Facebook, and other social media, along with the people afflicted with this condition. Assuming that eating disorders are not a Western problem that has swept the Middle East but rather a worldwide phenomenon and a development specifically in the middle and upper classes in a capitalist system, this podcast will consider the social and economic dynamics at play in disordered eating habits in the Lebanese context. Click the links below to listen to a two-part audio-essay.
Personal Accounts of Disordered Eating in Lebanon
Commercial and Medical Services for Disordered Eating in Lebanon