Media and Obesity in the USA - Essay Example

Media and Obesity Obesity is a health condition that has stirred great concern among health providers and the general population due to its negative effects. It is common among both children and adults. Most people who suffer from obesity are usually desperate to find a solution to this problem. This is because the condition does not only affect health, but it also affects an individual’s self-esteem among many other problems. According to various media reports, more than 35% of adults in the United States of America are considered to be obese. This implies that more than one among twenty people suffers from obesity (FCC 1). Media either directly or indirectly focuses on obesity through different platforms such as movies, television shows, websites, and social media. Although it plays a great role in giving hope to obese people, media also contributes to the high rate of obesity specifically through promoting unhealthy eating habits. Media, therefore, has both positive and negative impacts on the issue of obesity. It may seem ridiculous how media contributes to obesity for instance by causing children to be overweight. Picture for instance children who spend their entire day watching television without engaging in any physical exercise. Also picture a child who constantly watches television while eating junk food as a way of making the act of watching television more enjoyable. Such children have high chances of gaining weight and eventually developing obesity. The child who does not engage in physical exercise does not have the time of breaking down extra calories that accumulate in the body (Hojjat 84). Similarly, the child who constantly eats junk food while watching television has a high likelihood of ingesting excessive calories. Based on these two issues, media indirectly contributes to obesity. The direct contributions made by the media can be seen for example in advertising. Children are attracted to attractive images and music. When such are used to advertise, junk food children become interested. Without parental control, they end up consuming large amounts of unhealthy food hence contributing to the high rate of obesity. Although media does not force anyone to do what is said in advertisements, people unconsciously find themselves acting as they are told in adverts that offer suggestions about what to eat and how to live (OConnor 7). For example advertisements that promote fast-food affect what kind of food people eat. Advertisements are meant to be attractive and persuasive. By so being, they encourage people to try out the various kinds of foods that contribute to weight gain. Today all kinds of food adverts are exhibited for example on billboards, web pop-ups, magazines, newspapers, on the back of receipts and tickets, in movies as well as on buses. Since most people are naturally adventurers, they develop tendencies of trying out these foods without knowledge of the harm that the body is being exposed to. Advertisements with catchy phrases also make people eager to eat what is being advertised. Unfortunately, most of these foods cause weight gain since they are usually high in salt, fat and sugar. This is the reason as to why doctors and parents are increasingly getting worried. It is, therefore, important to be conscious of the kind of messages children capture from the media. Lately, media has been concentrating much on advertisements that market diet products such as slimming pills with the aim of targeting obese people. They take advantage of the fact that obese people are eager to slim. Although media draws a good picture by for example showing before and after images of people who were initially obese and became slim after consuming various products, they rarely talk about the side effects. Altogether, testimonies and photographs of these people are manipulated so as to lure consumers. Dietary supplements and dietary pills that claim to lead to weight-loss have various disadvantages that the media fails to reveal. In recent times, advertisers have added the word ‘herbal’ to products so as to lure people into purchasing them. For example, it has become common to see ‘herbal slimming pills’ on television screens, even though, most products do not have any herbal components in them. This way obesity is negatively portrayed as something that people will do anything they can to do away with including risking their lives to become slim. The increased demand for these products courtesy of the media’s influence has led to a steady growth of the industry that deals with weight-loss products. Sometimes people are deceived by advertisements without their knowledge due to media’s tendencies of using images that are deceiving. People are deceived that they will lose weight and look more attractive simply because advertisements portray this picture. Some adverts also confuse consumers hence making them purchase products they did not intend. Before they realize that they were using the wrong products they have already gained weight. Although some consumers may find some advertisement to be annoying, repetition of the intended message motivates them to purchase these products some of which may contribute weight gain. The internet has further provided an avenue through advertisers can advertise their products without limit. Obesity is portrayed negatively in various television shows. In movies, for example, most bullies are usually obese. Other obese characters are seen to overindulge in eating as compared to slim characters. Whether in advertisements, television shows or movies, it seems like obese people are ridiculed. Movies, where slim people can pass through small spaces whereas obese people get stuck, are a complete mockery. Unfortunately, very few people condemn humor that is created through such imagery. In other movies, female characters that are overweight are insulted and teased by their male counterparts then what follows after that is laughter from the audience. In very few circumstances are obese characters seen to engage in lasting romantic relationships. Even in children’s movies such as cartoons, overweight characters are depicted as unhappy, unattractive and unintelligent people. Media has further contributed to the stereotypes associated with obese people. Examples include the stereotypes that obese people are lazy, dumb and gluttonous. Due to such, normal people perceive obese people as being responsible for their misfortunes (Ulijaszek and Eli 64). Society feels like they deserve the humiliation and laughter that they go through. If photographs that portray obese people indulging in stereotypical activities such as eating junk food are used, they should be accompanied by those that challenge these stereotypes such as engaging in physical exercise. Media has made people to be very conscious about their body image because movies and magazines are filled with people who have ‘perfect bodies’. It has therefore become a global issue whereby everyone is concerned about not only their image but also problems such as eating disorders. Media has also been able to successfully market body insecurity. A few years ago, fat people were envied, but today they are looked down upon (Bordo 641). Media is also filled with stories that focus on obese people, but very few are seen to focus on thin people. This further portrays a negative image of obesity. An example of this scenario is how news coverage takes a blaming approach of weight gain on poor choices. Video footages and photographs of obese people are taken and used to the news without their knowledge. Such images have become so common that they are a typical phenomenon. Some media images that focus on overweight people are dehumanizing and demeaning (Puhl 1). For example, they isolate an obese person’s body parts or pictures of obese people only show the neck down with the face blocked so that they can remain anonymous. Although most people discourage such actions, other people argue that it is beneficial to focus on obese people because it motivates them to lose weight. This assumption, however, is not accurate because weight biases of any kind are damaging as it leads to low self-esteem, depression and anxiety. Some health problems faced by obese people may even be as a result of stigmatization and not the weight itself. Also consider television shows such as ‘Celebrity Fit Club’ that air weight-loss competitions. Although media tries as much as possible to portray a positive image regarding these shows, they always come out as comedic shows. Reality shows, where women are competing for modelling contracts, are always accompanied by negative discussions of contestants who had extra weight. There are many overweight people in the world who are successful, but they are rarely focused on, on the basis of their weight as a way of motivating other obese people. All said and done; media has played an important role in creating awareness about obesity. It is through print media such as magazines and newspapers that obesity became known as an epidemic (Boero 42). Although stories told about epidemics in the American press date to the nineteen-twenties, obesity was declared as an epidemic just recently (Lepore 607). Medical practitioners and the general public have developed an interest in understanding this problem especially through the internet. This has made it possible for people to access all kinds of information regarding this topic ranging from causes, health effects and solutions to the problem. Media’s construction of obesity as an epidemic has contributed to various public debates among scholars who analyze it from different angles. Media coverage, on the other hand, has encouraged researchers to look further into the various components both social and medical that play a role in the development of this epidemic. Social media has further provided a platform through which people can discuss their weight issues and share valuable information regarding obesity (Rousseau 47). To a large extent, this kind of media coverage has positively contributed to various interventions that relate to obesity. Through social media, it is possible to reach a large number of people. Media is filled with lots of information regarding obesity. Sometimes people do not have to visit doctors because various queries can be answered through different media platforms such as the internet and radio discussions. Information that is offered is more than sufficient for those seeking clarification. Media networks host analysts who discuss the issue of obesity from both a social and an economic perspective. Such talks attract major public debates hence making the issue of obesity a very crucial matter. Those who clearly understand the topic and those who do not both join up in discussions under various media platforms. Those with no clear understanding of the subject are, therefore, able to learn from their counterparts who are knowledgeable. It is through media coverage that people with obesity have been able to express their views regarding their situation. Without the media, there are serious matters that could never be known to people. For example, the issue of stigmatization would be a silent phenomenon. As a result, people with obesity would continue to suffer. Media has played an important role in making people cautious about how they relate to obese people and how they handle them. Although it is difficult to reach everyone with crucial information concerning obesity, media has played an important role in enhancing the process of dissemination. It is, however, important to note that media circulates both true and false information. Seeking clarification before implementing an idea is therefore very crucial. The global epidemic of obesity cannot be stopped. However, there are various measures that can be taken to slow down the rate at which people gain weight (Boero 373). For example, states can limit the rate at which media airs advertisements of unhealthy foods. Awareness of the importance of eating foods that are low in fats and sugar can also be a priority especially for the media. People use media in different ways, although it is difficult to control their activities on the media, influencing their thoughts is possible. Media has the potential of discouraging prejudice and promoting health. It also can educate the public on different health topics including obesity rather than ridiculing people with various health conditions. People need to join hands to discourage weight bias that is seen in the media. Instead of reinforcing and disseminating negative portrayals of overweight people, media can use the power it has to reduce stigma by using appropriate videos and images. This is because suggestive videos and images not only affect the victims of obesity but also contributes to the development of stereotypes and negative attitudes towards obese people. Media has both positive and negative implications of obesity. The good thing is that people can learn from both sides. From the positives, they can be enlightened and from the negatives they can correct their mistakes in terms of any negative perceptions they may have had regarding people with obesity. This contributes to creating a society whereby people are accepted regardless of their differences. Although states need to control how the media portrays obese people, they should also be encouraged to focus more on the issue with the aim of educating the general public. Works Cited Boero, Natalie. "All the News that’s Fat to Print: The American “Obesity Epidemic” and the Media." Critical Public Health 30 (2007): 41-60. Print Boero, Natalie. "Obesity in the Media: Social Science Weighs In." Qual Sociol 23. 3 (2013): 371-380. Print Bordo, Susan. “The Globalization of Eating Disorders.” FCC (Federal Communications Commission). “Media and Childhood Obesity.” Fcc.gov. Web 27 April 2015. Hojjat, Tahereh Alavi. "The Economic Analysis of Obesity." Review of Business and Finance Studies 6.1 (2015): 81-98. Print Lepore, Jill. “It’s Spreading. Outbreaks, Media Scares and the Parrot Panic of 1930” OConnor, Frances. “Obesity and the Media.” New York: Rosen Publishers, 2009. Print Puhl, Rebecca. “How Are Obese Persons Portrayed in News Media?” Medscape.com . Web 27 April 2015. Rousseau, Signe. “Food and Social Media: You Are What You Tweet.” United Kingdom: Rowman AltaMira Press, 2012. Print Ulijaszek, Stanley and Karin, Eli. “Obesity, Eating Disorders and the Media.” England: Ashgate Publishing, 2014. Print Read More