By Aaron Miller-
U.S television veteran, Oprah Winfrey,(pictured) bared her soul about her lifelong battle with obesity during her weight loss special, “An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution.”
However, her disclosure stirred up controversy as viewers accused her of promoting weight loss drugs, marking a significant turn in her ongoing struggle with weight management.
During the special, the 70-year-old media mogul fought back tears as she recounted her decades-long ordeal with weight issues.
She revealed how relentless public scrutiny over her weight had taken a toll on her, describing it as “national sport” for 25 years. Oprah disclosed her struggle with weight fluctuations, admitting to periods of weight loss followed by regain.
However, the focus of criticism stemmed from Oprah’s acknowledgment of using medication to aid her weight loss journey.
She confessed that the drugs had helped her break free from the constant obsession with food, allowing her to regain control over her life.
“In my lifetime I never dreamed we would be talking about medicines that would be providing hope to people, like me, who have struggled for years with being overweight or with obesity,” Winfrey said.
“I come to this conversation with 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 was ridiculed on every late night talk show for 25 years, and tabloid covers, for 25 years,” she said
“In an effort to combat all the shame, I starved myself for nearly five months and then wheeled out that wagon of fat that the internet will never let me forget,” Winfrey said, referencing her 1988 talk-show appearance, where she walked in, tugging a red wagon filled with fat, a symbol of the weight she had lost.
“And after losing 67 pounds on a liquid diet, the next day, the very next day, I started to gain it back.
“Feeling the shame of fighting a losing battle with weight, is a story all too familiar.”
The 70-year-old Afro American said that she decided to stop serving on the board of Weight Watchers because she did not want a “perceived conflict of interest” for the TV special, and donated “all of my shares at Weight Watchers to the Smithsonian museum of African American history and Culture”.
Some viewers lambasted her for seemingly endorsing pharmaceutical solutions after her association with Weight Watchers, a program she had promoted for nine years.
The timing of the weight loss special coincided with Oprah’s resignation from the Weight Watchers board, citing a potential conflict of interest due to the heavy promotion of weight loss drug brands on her show.
This move initially led to a 20 percent crash in Weight Watchers shares, which only slightly rebounded after Oprah invited Weight Watchers CEO Simi Sistani on stage during the special.
Furthermore, Oprah’s decision to feature leaders from pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, producers of the medication she’s taking, sparked accusations of bias and commercialism.
Viewers criticized her for allegedly turning the special into a platform for promoting weight loss drugs, with some expressing concerns about the implications of advocating medication for children.
Despite the backlash, Oprah staunchly defended her choice to use medication as a tool in her weight loss journey. She pushed back against the stigma and judgment surrounding weight issues, urging for a more compassionate and understanding approach.
Oprah emphasized the importance of breaking free from shame and stigma, encouraging others to embrace diverse methods of weight management without fear of judgment.