Public Health Framing of News Regarding Childhood Obesity in the United States

Abstract

Five U.S. newspapers were searched for stories regarding childhood obesity. Of the 201 stories appearing in 1996, 2001, or 2006, 97 incorporated a public health frame (i.e., connects problem to the larger social and environmental context; exposes risk factors; includes information regarding preventatives and correctives). Significant risk factors were identified as unhealthy eating practices, lack of physical activity, and ads for junk food directed at children. Prevalent categories of preventatives and correctives focused on changes in diet, particularly in the home or in areas controlled by parents. Offered less frequently were suggestions regarding increases in physical activity. Consistent with previous research, the majority of both preventatives and correctives focused on individual-level as opposed to societal-level factors. Implications of these findings for the framing of news regarding childhood obesity are discussed.

Preferred breast cancer message sources and frames amongst western Kenyan women

“…Consequently, consenting to the take by Mattson and Basu (2010) that any course needs to "remain cognizant of the importance of messages" (p. 276). The findings are in agreement with studies by Cohen (2010); Hawkins and Linvill (2010); Kahneman and Tversky (1979);Carrera et al (2010), showing that vast sources have indeed provided vast breast cancer messages, messages that respondents have assessed in terms of probable gains and/or losses, of course with influence of demographic factors, thus explaining different perceptions and behaviour executed by the women.…”

A Threatening Space?: Stigmatization and the Framing of Autism in the News

“…Thematic approaches help individuals relate to stories and understand how they connect them with other people (Drewnowski, 2009;Levine, 2011). Journalists, particularly those covering health and science, have been repeatedly encouraged to include thematic frames in their news coverage (see Hawkins & Linvill, 2010).…”

Obese Adults’ Perceptions of News Reporting on Obesity

“…News reporting about obesity has increased dramatically in the last 10 to 20 years (Campos, Saguy, Ernsberger, Oliver, & Gaesser, 2006;De Brún, McKenzie, McCarthy, & McGloin, 2012;Gearhart, Craig, & Steed, 2012;Hawkins & Linvill, 2010;Kersh & Morone, 2005;Kim & Willis, 2007;Lawrence, 2004;McClure, Puhl, & Heuer, 2010;Puhl & Heuer, 2009). Although news reporting about obesity draws heavily on scientific information and the opinions of obesity researchers (Saguy & Riley, 2005), a number of studies have shown that there might be problems with the news reporting of this complex health issue.…”

“…Researchers suggest that the news stories focus more on personal responsibility and self-control, rather than on the broader social and environmental determinants of weight gain (Ata & Thompson, 2010;Hawkins & Linvill, 2010;Kim & Willis, 2007;Saguy & Gruys, 2010). Some researchers have noted increasing frequency of frames 2 such as mixed frames and environmental frames (De Brún et al, 2012) and emergent frames such as fatalism (Shugart, 2011) and culture (Shugart, 2013).…”