Prime time television affecting health of Canadians

Posted June 27, 1997


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
97-06-03-PN

Prime time television is affecting
health of Canadians

Saskatoon SK, June 24, 1997 -- A thesis study completed by
a U of S doctoral candidate indicates the messages
regarding food and body image attitudes broadcast during
prime time television programming are not consistent with
the guidelines provided in Canada's Food Guide to Healthy
Eating.

What the Food Guide is stating isn't what is being seen on
television, said Dr. Laurie Wadsworth, who convocated this
spring. There is little reinforcement of the healthy
attitudes toward food and body image advocated by health
professionals.

Dr. Wadsworth analyzed the programming and commercials
in 10 of Neilsen's top 20 rated shows in 1995. One episode
each of ER, Chicago Hope, Friends, The Single Guy, Caroline
in the City, Seinfeld, Murphy Brown, Home Improvement,
Hudson Street, and Grace Under Fire were analyzed for food
portrayal and body image attitude portrayal.

The study determined that food and/or body image attitude
portrayals averaged 2.28 per minute and the majority of
food portrayals included higher fat/higher calorie, lower
nutrient food choices.

The nature of television is not conducive to portraying
healthy meals, said Dr. Wadsworth. Sitting down at a table
and eating a well rounded meal does not move a plot along.
Instead, television characters are often seen eating low
nutrient dense snacks or drinking beverages which are
generally alcoholic or caffeine rich.

To make matters worse, advertising slots during prime
time television are generally filled with commercials for
snack foods and beverages.

In direct conflict with the less healthy eating patterns
modeled during prime time television, 83% of characters
involved in food related incidents and body image attitude
incidents were rated to be within a healthy weight range.
This ratio is far from being reflective of Canadian society
where only 50% to 75% are considered within a healthy
weight range.

Other studies indicate heavy television viewers may tend
to abdicate responsibility for their own health. Television
viewers see beautiful, slim people portraying unbalanced
and less healthy lifestyles without showing weight gain or
developing lifestyle related health problems, she said.

And if there is a health crisis portrayed on TV, it is quickly
dealt with using technologically advanced methods. This
combination could encourage viewers to deny
responsibility for their own health status.

Aside from the disturbing trend in food portrayals, the
study found that 100% of the body image attitude
portrayals were directed toward those who were above a
healthy weight range. All were negative and accompanied
by a laugh track. The fact that this negative attitude
toward those who don't fit an idealized body image is so
prevalent on prime time television reflects the acceptance
our society has for such prejudiced behaviours, said
Wadsworth.

Dr. Wadsworth concludes by saying this study indicates a
need for health professionals and consumers to develop
media literacy skills.

Television is a part of our lives and it's not going to go
away. By understanding it more, we should be able to
manage its affect on our lives.

A review article, Television and Nutritional Health: The
medium and the message is currently in press with the
Canadian Journal of Educational Communications.

Dr. Wadsworth is also an invited conference speaker at the
Annual Meeting of the Society for Nutrition Education to be
held July 22 - 26, 1997 in Montreal where she will present
parts of this study in a presentation titled Sociocultural
aspects of food and nutrition as found in nutrition
messages on television.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Laurie Wadsworth
(306) 933-6247