Influence of the Media on Childhood Obesity

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States; it has reached the point at which it is an epidemic.  Childhood obesity is an especially frightening facet of this problem.  The amount of children who can be classified as obese rises at an alarming rate every year. 

Figure 1.   Percentage of Children and Adolescents Who Are Obese, from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Society of Behavioral Medicine. Web. 4 November 2012. http://www.sbm.org/about/public-policy/statements/childhood-obesity

• Current obesity rates in children ages 6-11 have quadrupled since the early 1970s (“Statistical”).
• One out of three children are overweight or obese currently (“Obesity”).
• An obese child is much more likely to be obese as an adult than a child with a healthy weight.
• Because of obesity, the current youngsters of the United States are predicted to be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (Belluck).

The media is trying to combat the rising obesity epidemic.

First Lady Michelle Obama has attempted to harness the power of media to be a force for good in the lives of the nation’s children through her Let’s Move! initiative (Let’s Move!). 

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes and was obese when elected to office, dropped 100 pounds over the course of his term and used his story to try to promote healthier weights in his state’s children with numerous campaigns and acts to combat obesity that have made headlines across the country (Ogilvie).

The Biggest Loser is a wildly popular show that shows the dangers and effect that obesity has. It influences its viewers to change. The Biggest Loser is quite possibly the largest combatant of obesity in mass media and is viewed by hundreds of millions viewers of all ages every week. The show influences it viewers immensely.

Figure 2. Obese Kids. n.d. The Blaze. Web. 5 Nov 2012. <http://www.theblaze.com/stories/watch-out-parents-the-state-may-want-to-take-away-your-obese-kids/>.

The media is believed to also be a large cause to the obesity epidemic that is rolling over the nation. The media exerts a large influence on the parents and children. Television shows like CBS’s “Mike and Molly” send the wrong message to children, by portraying unhealthy behaviors like overeating as normal or humorous (Kelly). While there is minor “promotion” of obesity in the media with shows like “Mike and Molly”, it does not have enough weight in the matter to tip the scales of obesity in the media.

And??

While the media is said to promote obesity, it is trying to combat the childhood epidemic that is plaguing the United States. The opposition against obesity in the media heavily out-weighs the media that promotes the unhealthy lifestyle.

Works Cited

Belluck, Pam. “Children's Life Expectancy Being Cut Short by Obesity.” New York Times. 17 March 2005. Web. 4 November 2012

Kelly, Maura. “Should ‘Fatties’ Get a Room? (Even on TV?).” Marie Claire. 25 October 2010. Web. 2 November 2012.

Let’s Move! Web. 2 November 2012

Obese Kids. The Blaze. Web. 5 Nov 2012. <http://www.theblaze.com/stories/watch-out-parents-the-state-may-want-to-take-away-your-obese-kids/>.

“The Obesity Prevention Source Child Obesity.” Harvard School of Public Health. Web. 4 November 2012.

Ogilvie, Jessica Pauline. “Still battling weight in Arkansas.” Los Angeles Times. 8 May 2011. Web. 2 November 2012.

Percentage 

of Children and Adolescents Who Are Obese, from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Society of Behavioral Medicine. Web. 4 November 2012. http://www.sbm.org/about/public-policy/statements/childhood-obesity

 “Statistical Fact Sheet 2012 Update. Overweight & Obesity.” American Heart and Stroke Association. Web. 4. November 2012.

Influence of the Media on Marriage

For two nights, E! Network aired Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event. This million-dollar union between reality TV star, Kim Kardashian, and New York Nets’ power forward, Kris Humphries, was viewed by millions of fans. Ironically, this union did not have a fairytale ending; after 72 days, the couple filed for divorce. What happened to the days where weddings weren’t as important and divorce was frowned upon? The sanctity of marriage seems to have declined as the media is corrupted by stars that take such institution so lightly.

Our society today views marriage as an old-fashioned unnecessary act that can be viewed with much laxness. You can get married for fun and if you do not like the outcome, you can easily get a divorce. Statistics show that marriages have declined while divorces have been getting more common.

Figure 1. U.S. Marriage and Divorce Rates, from National Vital Statistics Reports. The Family

  in  America. Web. 3 November 2012. http://www.familyinamerica.org/index.php?doc_id=33&cat_id=14

• Almost 1 in 3 women think that marriage is no longer necessary or relevant in today’s society. (Vitabiotics Wellwoman)
• Between 1960 and 2000, the number of cohabiting unmarried partners increased tenfold. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000)
• 55% of Americans approve of men and women living together without being married. (Gallup, 2007)

Are there any successful marriages?

With that being said, there still exist successful marriages, both in and out of Hollywood. The unfortunate fact is that they are not nearly praised or given much attention as unsuccessful marriages. Sure, when couples first get married there is a big fuss about the event itself—the dress and the venue. But the media’s focus remains not on the love shared between the long lasting couples but on stars that easily give in to marriage and fail to stay together.

What is destroying the sanctity of marriage?

This focus is what’s destroying the sanctity of marriage. Hollywood celebrities, with the amount of attention they receive, are one of the most influential people in the culture we live in today. And with so many celebrities living together without being married or having children out of wedlock, acts that were once highly discouraged and frowned upon is approved by the generation today. Instead of viewing these stars as notorious examples not to be followed, they are praised despite their failed marriages. Today’s pop culture’s opinion of marriage has utterly been destroying the sanctity and value of marriage.

Works Cited

McManus, Michael J. "The Family in America." The Family in America. The Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society, Spring 2011. Web. 01 Nov. 2012. <http://www.familyinamerica.org/index.php?doc_id=33>.

"Media Influence on Youth." Media Influence on Youth. Crisis Connection, Inc., 5 Sept. 2012. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. <http://www.crisisconnectioninc.org/teens/media_influence_on_youth.htm>.

Schoen, Robert, and Robin M. Weinick. The Slowing Metabolism of Marriage. 4th ed. Vol. 30. Baltimore: Department of Population Dynamics, 1993. Print. Demography.

"Statistics." Statistics. Alternatives to Marriage Project, 2012. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. <http://www.unmarried.org/statistics.html>.

U.S. Marriage and Divorce Rates, from National Vital Statistics Reports. The Family in  America. Web. 3 November 2012. http://www.familyinamerica.org/index.php?doc_id=33&cat_id=14

Vitabiotics Wellwoman. "Marriage Is No Longer Relevant in Today's Society." PR Newswire UK United Business Media. PR Newswire, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2012. <http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/marriage-is-no-longer-relevant-in-todays-society-153713105.html>.