Mimi Nichter is an American anthropologist, professor emerita at the School of Anthropology, University of Arizona. [1]
She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in 1995. [2]
Her book, Fat Talk: What Girls and their Parents Say about Dieting, is about the links between culture, body image, and dieting. [2]
She is the recipient of the 2001 Margaret Mead Award. The nominating letter says, "The “fat talk” of the title is a routine through which girls ritually lament their own bodily flaws. Yet, rather than represent this widespread practice as pathological or indicative of girls’ low self-esteem, Nichter argues that “fat talk” is a rich and complex resource for expressing solidarity, with intricate functions in adolescent interaction." [2]
Another notable focus of her work is women's use of tobacco. [2]