Oprah Winfrey Takes Responsibility For Her Role In “Diet Culture”: “I’ve Own What I Done And Now I Want To Do Better”

If you remember, Oprah Winfrey was a major influential figure back in the day, especially regarding health and fitness. Sometimes, her views were helpful, while many others might have caused some harm that led to scrutiny. Despite the backlash, Oprah is now taking some accountability for her role in “diet culture” and is planning on doing “better.”

During a WeightWatchers event on Thursday, Winfrey announced her decision to break away from the chokehold of diet culture and the shame that comes with it. The iconic talk show host also revealed her commitment to moving forward in a healthier direction.

“So many of us have internalized about diet culture and the body standards that have caused us so much shame,” she said. “We’ve been criticized. We’ve been scrutinized. We’ve been shamed, and we’ve been told that unless we meet a certain standard of size that we didn’t deserve to be accepted or even to be loved. And what I know for sure is that I am done with it.”

Additionally, Winfrey emphasized that the purpose of the discussion is not only to break free from the shackles of scrutiny but also to refrain from criticizing others.

“I also want to acknowledge that I have been a steadfast participant in this diet culture through my platforms, through the magazine, through the talk show for 25 years, through online,” she added. “I’ve been a major contributor to it. I cannot tell you how many weight loss shows and makeovers I have done, and they have been a staple since I’ve been working in television.”

Winfrey went on to recall a 1988 episode of her self-titled talk show where she revealed a weight loss accomplishment and brought out a wagon filled with fat to symbolize the pounds she had shed.

”I’ve shared how that famous ‘wagon of fat’ moment on the Oprah show is one of my biggest regrets,” she recalled. “It sent a message that starving yourself with a liquid diet, set a standard for people watching that I nor anybody else could uphold and I’ve said this before, the very next day the next day, I began to gain the weight back.”

Winfrey added, “I own what I’ve done and I now want to do better, so I know now that that ‘wagon of fat’ moment was set into motion after years and years of thinking that my struggle with my weight was my fault. And it has taken me even up until last week to process the shame that I felt privately as my very public yo-yo diet moments became a national joke.”

Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time Oprah has spoken about how her weight has been the center of attention. During her cover story for PEOPLE last year, the 70-year-old host said “It was public sport to make fun of me for 25 years. I have been blamed and shamed, and I blamed and shamed myself.”