Messages about physical attractiveness in animated cartoons

Stigma-Generating Mechanisms in Families Enrolled in a Pediatric Weight Management Program: A Qualitative Study of Health Identities and Healthcare Authenticity

In recent years, there has been increased awareness of obesity as a condition that carries a high level of stigma, as well as growing recognition of its prevalence and harm. Despite the increasing body of research on this topic, there is a gap in the literature regarding mechanisms that generate or exacerbate perceptions of weight stigma, especially within families and pediatric healthcare settings. The present study aims to identify potential stigma-generating mechanisms by focusing on inter-relational dynamics within these contexts. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 11 families and analyzed the data by applying sociological theories on health identities and authenticity. Our study found four themes that represent potential stigma-generating mechanisms by being explicitly related to familial health identities and healthcare authenticity: (1) negotiating and reconstruction familial self-understanding, (2) between guilt, shame and conflicts, (3) navigating weight perceptions, and (4) the necessity of positivity and relevance. Our study shows the complexities of weight stigma within family and pediatric healthcare settings, emphasizing the need for sensitive and tailored support, as well as the value of working authentically as crucial aspects in preventing and/or reducing stigma.

Obesity Stigma: Causes, Consequences, and Potential Solutions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aims to examine (i) the aetiology of obesity; (ii) how and why a perception of personal responsibility for obesity so dominantly frames this condition and how this mindset leads to stigma; (iii) the consequences of obesity stigma for people living with obesity, and for the public support for interventions to prevent and manage this condition; and (iv) potential strategies to diminish our focus on personal responsibility for the development of obesity, to enable a reduction of obesity stigma, and to move towards effective interventions to prevent and manage obesity within the population.

RECENT FINDINGS

We summarise literature which shows that obesity stems from a complex interplay of genetic and environment factors most of which are outside an individual's control. Despite this, evidence of obesity stigmatisation remains abundant throughout areas of media, entertainment, social media and the internet, advertising, news outlets, and the political and public health landscape. This has damaging consequences including psychological, physical, and socioeconomic harm. Obesity stigma does not prevent obesity. A combined, concerted, and sustained effort from multiple stakeholders and key decision-makers within society is required to dispel myths around personal responsibility for body weight, and to foster more empathy for people living in larger bodies. This also sets the scene for more effective policies and interventions, targeting the social and environmental drivers of health, to ultimately improve population health.

Young children learn first impressions of faces through social referencing

Previous research has demonstrated that the tendency to form first impressions from facial appearance emerges early in development. We examined whether social referencing is one route through which these consistent first impressions are acquired. In Study 1, we show that 5- to 7-year-old children are more likely to choose a target face previously associated with positive non-verbal signals as more trustworthy than a face previously associated with negative non-verbal signals. In Study 2, we show that children generalise this learning to novel faces who resemble those who have previously been the recipients of positive non-verbal behaviour. Taken together, these data show one means through which individuals within a community could acquire consistent, and potentially inaccurate, first impressions of others faces. In doing so, they highlight a route through which cultural transmission of first impressions can occur.

Moral foundations theory, political identity, and the depiction of morality in children's movies

Children's movies often provide messages about morally appropriate and inappropriate conduct. In two studies, we draw on Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) to derive predictions about actual depictions of morality, and people's preferences for different moral depictions, within children's movies. According to MFT, people's moral concerns include individualizing foundations of care and fairness and binding foundations of loyalty, authority, and sanctity. Prior work reveals that although there are political differences in the endorsement of these two broad categories-whereby stronger political conservatism predicts stronger binding concerns and weaker individualizing concerns-there nonetheless is broad agreement across political identity in the importance of individualizing concerns. We therefore predicted that heroes would value individualizing foundations more than villains, and that despite political differences in preferences for moral messages, there would be more agreement in the importance of messages promoting individualizing concerns. In Study 1, we coded heroes and villains from popular children's movies for their valuation of moral foundations. Heroes valued individualizing concerns more, and binding concerns less, than villains did. Participants in Study 2 considered moral dilemmas faced by children's movie characters, and rated their preferences for resolutions that promoted either individualizing or binding foundations. Although liberals preferred individualizing-promoting resolutions and conservatives preferred binding-promoting resolutions, there was stronger agreement across political identity in the importance of individualizing concerns. Despite political differences in moral preferences, popular depictions of children's movie characters and people's self-reported moral endorsement suggest a shared belief in the importance of the individualizing moral virtues of care and fairness. Movies are often infused with moral messages. From their exploration of overarching themes, their ascription of particular traits to heroic and villainous characters, and their resolution of pivotal moral dilemmas, movies provide viewers with depictions of morally virtuous (and morally suspect) behavior. Moral messaging in children's movies is of particular importance, since it is targeted at an audience for which morality is actively developing. What moral messages do filmmakers (and consumers, including parents) want children's movies to depict? Are these preferences related to people's political identity? And what are the actual moral depictions presented in movies? In the present two studies, we draw on an influential theory of moral judgment-Moral Foundations Theory-to develop and test predictions about the depiction of morality in children's movies.

Weight stigma and media: An examination of the effect of advertising campaigns on weight bias, internalized weight bias, self-esteem, body image, and affect

While some media perpetuate weight stigma and an ideal of thinness, certain advertising campaigns, such as Aerie Real and Dove Real Beauty, have attempted to promote body acceptance. The current study evaluated the influence of exposure to these campaigns on weight bias, internalized weight bias (IWB), self-esteem, body image, and affect relative to exposure to a campaign perpetuating the thin ideal and a documentary on weight stigma. 475 female participants were randomized to one of five conditions: Aerie, Dove, Victoria's Secret, an HBO documentary, or control (i.e., neutral video clip). Participants completed measures of weight bias, IWB, self-esteem, body image, and affect one week prior to and immediately after watching the assigned video clip. Results showed positive effects of the Aerie and Dove campaigns on women. While global measures of weight bias and IWB were unchanged, women who viewed the Dove and Aerie campaigns reported significantly improved self-esteem and positive affect. Further, women found the campaigns to have positive, uplifting, and empowering messages. Aerie's and Dove's acceptance-promoting advertising campaigns positively influenced self-esteem and mood, and they are potential tools for weight bias reduction. Advertisements and media have the potential to impact weight-based attitudes in society.

Cartoon Characters in Children’s Series: Gender Disparities in Body Weight and Food Consumption

(1) Background: Media play a significant role in forming audience perceptions about physical external appearance and food consumption patterns. It has been reported that children’s cartoons project slimness, and concomitantly consumption of poor nutritional quality food. However, data on the role of gender in this respect are lacking; thus, this was the aim of the present study. (2) Methods: 100 episodes of the 10 most popular cartoon series were analyzed. Characters’ body weight status was classified into underweight, normal weight and overweight, and foods consumed as core (e.g., fruit, vegetables) and non-core (e.g., sweets, snacks). Messages about characters’ attractiveness were recorded and classified according to their body weight status and gender. (3) Results: Out of 37 protagonists, 12 were female figures (32%), while out of the 10 thin protagonists, 7 were females (70%) and only 3 males (30%). Thin heroines were the recipients of the majority of the messages connotative to physical attractiveness (36 out of 58 messages). However, consumption of core and non-core foods did not differ within genders (core: z = −1.526, p = 0.127, non-core: z = −0.417, p = 0.667). (4) Conclusions: Females seem to be underrepresented in cartoon series but receive the majority of the comments related to physical appearance, with most of them addressing the attractiveness of a thin figure.

The effectiveness of brief animated films as a scalable micro-intervention to improve children's body image: A randomised controlled trial

Creating media to counteract the plethora of media and advertising that perpetuates negative body image is a scalable public health strategy that can be achieved through innovative micro-interventions. This study examined the immediate and short-term (one-week follow-up) impact of viewing brief, evidence-informed animated films on young people's body image, media literacy, and self-efficacy in addressing appearance teasing. The animations were co-created through a partnership among academics, a personal care brand's social mission, and a children's television channel. Participants aged 7-14 (N = 1329, 49 % girls) were randomised into one of three viewing conditions: Appearance Teasing & Bullying, Media & Celebrities, or a non-appearance-related animation. Contrary to predictions, all three animations were comparably effective at eliciting intervention effects. For girls and boys aged 7-10, all three animations immediately improved state body satisfaction (+boys aged 11-14; Cohen's ds = .60-.71) and led to sustained improvements in trait media literacy (+girls aged 11-14; ds = .38-.61), sensitivity to appearance teasing (+boys aged 11-14; ds = .35-.48), and willingness to ignore appearance teasing (7-10 years only; ds = .34-.74) at one-week follow-up. Findings indicate that children's media is an effective medium for developing micro-interventions.

Body Weight of Cartoon Characters in Children Series Is Associated to Food Consumption, Attractiveness, and Physical Activity Engagement

BACKGROUND

Research is lacking regarding the eating habits of cartoon characters in relation to their body weight. The present study explored the context of food consumption and the cartoon characters' traits, according to body weight. Studies show that slim cartoon characters are usually considered as attractive; however, little is known regarding the type of messages projected about their physical appearance.

METHOD

One hundred episodes of ten series with high TV audience rates were reviewed. Characters' body weight status was classified into underweight, normal weight, and overweight, and food consumed as processed and less processed. Characters' traits such as physical activity and attractiveness were classified as positive, negative, or neutral. Comments made by the characters themselves regarding their proper physical appearance or the appearance of partner characters were recorded and classified as positive or negative.

RESULTS

Results show that characters' body weight was related to both type and quantity of foods consumed, as 58% of the non-core and 48% of all foods were actually eaten by oversized characters. Positive characters' traits, as defined by attractiveness and physical activity engagement, referred consistently to slim characters, with nine out of ten shown as good-looking and physically active. In addition, the majority (51 out of 58) of the positive comments on physical appearance were recorded for slim and attractive characters, either expressed by fellow actors or the characters themselves.

CONCLUSION

Body weight of cartoon characters seems to follow stereotypic perceptions which value slimness and relate unhealthy food consumption with overweight.

Influence of Mothers/Grandmothers Coviewing Cartoons With Children on Children's Viewing Experience

Watching cartoons is one important event in children’s early lives. This activity is highly influential on many factors, such as children’s cognitive and behavioral development. Some researchers believe that parents should coview cartoons with children to help them filter and distinguish useful content. However, intergenerational education is already common in China, and the influence of grandparents cannot be ignored. Because they are in different stages of life, the members of these two generations manifest great differences in parenting style, which may lead to differences in child development. Does this generational difference have differential effects on the children’s cartoon-viewing experience? We recruited 89 parents and grandparents and their kindergarten-aged children (approximately 5 years old) to participate in the study. The mothers or grandmothers were asked to coview a cartoon for approximately 7 min with their child, after which the child was asked questions about the cartoon-viewing experience. The results show the following: (1) compared with grandmothers, mothers generally think that cartoons have a very high influence on children’s physical and mental health (χ² = 8.83, p < 0.05), (2) mothers place more restrictions on the content of cartoons that their children view, whereas grandmothers’ attitudes are characterized by greater tolerance (χ² = 11.94, p < 0.01), and (3) in the case of coviewing with mothers, when the children are asked “why” questions about the cartoon-viewing experience questionnaire, they use more experience proofs to explain their answers than when they coview with grandmothers (χ² = 16.69, p < 0.01; χ² = 10.44, p < 0.05).

Nothing alien about it: A comparison of weight bias in preschool-aged children's ratings of non-human cartoons and human figures

Media exposes children to weight biased messaging by presenting overweight characters negatively. Although bias against human figures and human characters has been examined, children's bias against non-human animated characters is unstudied. Children's (N=60; 4-6 years old) weight bias against human and non-human characters was measured. Children saw characters of different weights (thin, overweight), genders (girl, boy), and stimuli type (human-line drawing, human-photo, non-human cartoon), and rated them using positive and negative characteristics. ANOVAs and t-tests examined weight bias based on mean ratings of each character. Overweight figures were rated more negatively than non-overweight figures overall, regardless of gender or type of stimulus. Further, mean ratings of the non-human cartoon were significantly less positive than ratings of both the line drawings and photographs of human figures. However, there was no interaction of stimulus type and weight status, suggesting that bias is expressed equally against human and non-human overweight figures. Results indicated that children's negative weight bias extends to non-human cartoon figures. Implications for children's media are discussed.

Achieving body confidence for young children: Development and pilot study of a universal teacher-led body image and weight stigma program for early primary school children

Negative body image attitudes develop in early childhood and there is a need for school-based resources during the early school years, but no teacher-delivered curriculum-based resources exist to mitigate these attitudes in young children. Achieving Body Confidence for Young Children (ABC-4-YC), a universal body dissatisfaction and weight stigma prevention program, was developed and then delivered in a pilot study. Fifty-one 5- to 8-year-old children completed pre- and post-intervention interviews assessing body image attitudes, and seven teachers provided feedback. Significant improvement in body esteem and positive teacher feedback were found. The results provide preliminary support for ABC-4-YC to improve children's body image attitudes, but extensive evaluation is needed.

Appearance-related themes in children's animated movies released between 2004 and 2016: A content analysis

Research suggests that children demonstrate an awareness of cultural messages regarding appearance; specifically, that thinness is desirable and fatness is objectionable. In 2004, Herbozo and colleagues published research examining the content of popular children's movies. This widely cited study has provided the foundation for various studies examining the impact of media on children. The purpose of the current study was to extend the findings of Herbozo et al.'s (2004) research to include more recent movies. Two independent coders viewed the 25 top-grossing U.S. animated feature films since 2004 and indicated the number of appearance-related themes present in each movie. Movies in the current study contained significantly more appearance-related themes focused on male muscularity and the role of personal control related to weight compared to earlier films. These findings are consistent with cultural trends and demonstrate the importance of continued examination of children's media influences.

Stigma Experienced by Children and Adolescents With Obesity

The stigmatization of people with obesity is widespread and causes harm. Weight stigma is often propagated and tolerated in society because of beliefs that stigma and shame will motivate people to lose weight. However, rather than motivating positive change, this stigma contributes to behaviors such as binge eating, social isolation, avoidance of health care services, decreased physical activity, and increased weight gain, which worsen obesity and create additional barriers to healthy behavior change. Furthermore, experiences of weight stigma also dramatically impair quality of life, especially for youth. Health care professionals continue to seek effective strategies and resources to address the obesity epidemic; however, they also frequently exhibit weight bias and stigmatizing behaviors. This policy statement seeks to raise awareness regarding the prevalence and negative effects of weight stigma on pediatric patients and their families and provides 6 clinical practice and 4 advocacy recommendations regarding the role of pediatricians in addressing weight stigma. In summary, these recommendations include improving the clinical setting by modeling best practices for nonbiased behaviors and language; using empathetic and empowering counseling techniques, such as motivational interviewing, and addressing weight stigma and bullying in the clinic visit; advocating for inclusion of training and education about weight stigma in medical schools, residency programs, and continuing medical education programs; and empowering families to be advocates to address weight stigma in the home environment and school setting.

Parental support for policy actions to reduce weight stigma toward youth in schools and children's television programs: trends from 2011 to 2013

BACKGROUND

Despite the pervasiveness and negative physical and psychosocial implications of weight-based victimization (WBV) in youth, antibullying polices in schools rarely address this issue. Additionally, children's media perpetuates weight stigma, but regulation of stigmatizing media content is nonexistent.

METHODS

In 2011-2013, a diverse national sample of 2185 parents (n=716 in 2011, 755 in 2012, and 714 in 2013) was analyzed to evaluate parental support for four proposed policies across the 3 years. Actions addressed (1) strengthening policies to reduce weight stigma, (2) media portrayals of children with diverse body sizes, (3) media portrayals of such children engaged in healthy behaviors, and (4) antibullying policies in schools. Chi-square tests with Bonferroni's corrections and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Across time, support for policies to address weight stigma remained consistent or increased, primarily in 2012-2013. At least 86% of participants consistently favored implementing antibullying policies in schools. Parents became increasingly supportive of policies regulating television content to positively portray children of diverse body sizes and show such children engaged in health behaviors, as well as establishing weight-related antibullying policies. Specific predictors of support included gender, race, and political affiliation.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a consistent and high level of parental support for weight stigma-related policies, particularly for antibullying policies. Findings can inform development of policies to rectify health and social disparities faced by overweight and obese youth.

How children with facial differences are perceived by non-affected children and adolescents: perceiver effects on stereotypical attitudes

Children with a facial difference are presumed to be at risk of social stigmatization. The purposes of this study were twofold: (1) to assess the effect of facial differences on social perceptions by unaffected children and adolescents; and (2) to identify perceiver characteristics that predict stereotypical attitudes toward facial differences. Participants were 344 non-affected children and adolescents, ages 8-17 years. Participants rated digitally altered images of 12 children depicted either with or without a facial difference. Results show that participants attributed less favorable characteristics to children with a facial difference than to those without. Moreover, participants reported less willingness to interact with or befriend a child with a facial difference. Significant predictors of low discriminative attitudes were older participant age and previous contact with someone with a facial difference. Our data call attention to the need for public education programs targeted at reducing negative attitudes toward facial differences.

The stigmatizing effect of visual media portrayals of obese persons on public attitudes: does race or gender matter?

Overweight and obese persons are frequently stigmatized in news media. The present study is the first to systematically compare public reactions to positive and negative images of obese persons accompanying news reports on obesity (while manipulating gender and race of the target)and their effects on generalized attitudes and social distance toward obese persons. The authors conducted 3 randomized experimental studies using online surveys to assess public perceptions of positive versus stereotypical images of obese adults (who varied by gender and race) accompanying a neutral news report about obesity. The sample included 1,251 adults, who were recruited through a national survey panel during May of 2010. Participants who viewed negative, stereotypical images of obese targets increased social distance, antifat attitudes, and ratings of laziness and dislike toward obese persons, whereas positive, nonstereotypical images induced more positive attitudes. These findings remained consistent when accounting for sociodemographic variables. African American female obese targets portrayed in images evoked higher ratings of dislike and social distance compared with Caucasian targets, but ratings were similar for male and female targets. This study provides evidence that images of obese person accompanying written media influence public attitudes toward obese people, and may reinforce weight stigmatization if images contain stereotypical portrayals of obese persons. Implications for efforts to report about obesity in the news media are discussed.

Headless, hungry, and unhealthy: a video content analysis of obese persons portrayed in online news

The news media has substantial influence on public perceptions of social and health issues. This study conducted a video content analysis to examine portrayals of obese persons in online news reports about obesity. The authors downloaded online news videos about obesity (N = 371) from 5 major news websites and systematically coded visual portrayals of obese and nonobese adults and youth in these videos. The authors found that 65% of overweight/obese adults and 77% of overweight/obese youth were portrayed in a negative, stigmatizing manner across multiple obesity-related topics covered in online news videos. In particular, overweight/obese individuals were significantly more likely than were nonoverweight individuals to be portrayed as headless, with an unflattering emphasis on isolated body parts, from an unflattering rear view of their excess weight, eating unhealthy foods, engaging in sedentary behavior, and dressed in inappropriately fitting clothing. Nonoverweight individuals were significantly more likely to be portrayed positively. In conclusion, obese children and adults are frequently stigmatized in online news videos about obesity. These findings have important implications for public perceptions of obesity and obese persons and may reinforce negative societal weight bias.

ObesiTV: how television is influencing the obesity epidemic

Obesity is a major public health concern in the United States. Over the last several decades, the prevalence of obesity among both adults and children has grown at an alarming rate and is now reaching epidemic proportions. The increase in obesity has been associated with rises in a host of other chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. While the causes of obesity are multifaceted, there is growing evidence that television viewing is a major contributor. Results of numerous studies indicate a direct association between time spent watching television and body weight. Possible explanations for this relationship include: 1) watching television acts as a sedentary replacement for physical activity; 2) food advertisements for nutrient-poor, high-calorie foods stimulate food intake; and 3) television viewing is associated with "mindless" eating. In addition to decreasing physical activity and increasing the consumption of highly palatable foods, television viewing can also promote weight gain in indirect ways, such as through the use of targeted product placements in television shows; by influencing social perceptions of body image; and airing programs that portray cooking, eating and losing weight as entertainment. This paper will provide an interdisciplinary review of the direct and indirect ways in which television influences the obesity epidemic, and conclude with ways in which the negative impact of television on obesity could be reduced.

Body image, eating disorders, and the relationship to adolescent media use

Historically and currently, media messages around body shape and size emphasize the importance of being below-average weight for women and hypermuscular for men. The media messages around physical appearance are not realistic for most and lead to body dissatisfaction for most adolescents. Interventions designed to mitigate the influence of negative media messages on adolescents' body image are presented; however, most have shown limited success.

Obesity stigma in online news: a visual content analysis

This study conducted a content analysis to examine the types of images that accompany online news stories about obesity and to determine how obese people are portrayed in news photographs. Images were selected from news articles about obesity obtained from 5 major news Web sites, during a 2-week period in September of 2009. Images accompanying news stories about obesity (N = 549) were systematically coded. Of 441 individuals identified in news photographs, 65% were overweight/obese and 27% were nonoverweight. Overall, 72% of images that depicted an overweight or obese person were portrayed in a negative, stigmatizing manner. Overweight/obese individuals were significantly more likely to have their heads cut out of the photos, to be portrayed showing only their abdomens or lower bodies, and to be shown eating or drinking than were nonoverweight individuals. Overweight/obese individuals were significantly less likely to be shown fully clothed, wearing professional clothing, or exercising than were nonoverweight individuals. Obese individuals are frequently stigmatized in online news photographs; this phenomenon has important implications for public perceptions of obese persons and may reinforce pervasive prejudice and discrimination.

Obesity in the news: do photographic images of obese persons influence antifat attitudes?

News coverage of obesity has increased dramatically in recent years, and research shows that media content may contribute to negative public attitudes toward obese people. However, no work has assessed whether photographic portrayals of obese people that accompany news stories affect attitudes. In the present study, the authors used a randomized experimental design to test whether viewing photographic portrayals of an obese person in a stereotypical or unflattering way (versus a nonstereotypical or flattering portrayal) could increase negative attitudes about obesity, even when the content of an accompanying news story is neutral. The authors randomly assigned 188 adult participants to read a neutral news story about the prevalence of obesity that was paired with 1 of 4 photographic portrayals of an obese adult (or no photograph). The authors subsequently assessed attitudes toward obese people using the Fat Phobia Scale. Participants in all conditions expressed a moderate level of fat phobia (M = 3.83, SD = 0.58). Results indicated that participants who viewed the negative photographs expressed more negative attitudes toward obese people than did those who viewed the positive photographs. Implications of these findings for the media are discussed, with emphasis on increasing awareness of weight bias in health communication and journalistic news reporting.

The direct effect of thin ideal focused adult television on young girls' ideal body figure

The present study tested the direct effect of watching thin-ideal focused television aimed at (young) adults on body dissatisfaction in preadolescent girls (9-12 years old). A within-subject design was used in which the girls (N=60) were tested three times. They watched three movie clips in random order that were either focused explicitly (thin-ideal program) or indirectly (soap opera) on the thin ideal or were neutral in content. Afterwards, they filled out questionnaires concerning their body dissatisfaction. Only older preadolescent girls (11-12 years old) showed greater body dissatisfaction after watching the thin-ideal focused television clip than after watching the neutral television clip. After watching thin-ideal focused television, they desired a thinner body figure than after watching neutral television. The findings imply that watching (adult) thin-ideal television directly affects the ideal body figure in older preadolescent girls.

Weight bias in the media: a review of recent research

BACKGROUND

There is ample evidence that overweight and obese individuals are stigmatized in various forms of media. This weight bias is particularly disconcerting when it targets children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

The current review surveys the most recent 15 years of research on weight bias and stigmatization in the media and discusses some theoretical models that might help explain the negative effects of such material.

METHOD

PsycINFO searches were conducted using weight bias- and stigmatization-related terms and phrases. Results were limited to journal articles published in English between 1994 and 2009.

RESULTS

Overall, the data indicate that a wide range of media - from television shows to books, newspapers, and the internet - portray overweight and obese individuals in a stigmatizing manner.

CONCLUSION

More research on this topic is needed to discern a direct connection between exposure to such material and psychological or physical harm to the viewer. Additionally, virtually all of the research has been conducted in the USA; research in other countries should be a top priority. Efforts to try to educate the media to the deleterious effects of media presentations of weight bias are indicated.

The need for bold action to prevent adolescent obesity

Record levels of obesity in children and adolescents are predictable in light of powerful conditions that promote high consumption of calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods and discourage physical activity. Default conditions for youth are dangerous, and include multiple and relentless forms of marketing, poor foods promoted in schools, and a variety of other conditions that undermine personal resources, individual responsibility, and parental authority. This article discusses how optimal defaults can be created using five issues as examples: framing of the obesity issue, treating versus preventing obesity, nutrition in schools, marketing, and addressing weight bias and discrimination. By adopting a public health approach that addresses the conditions causing obesity, there is hope of reversing troubling trends in prevalence.

Portrayal of body weight on children's television sitcoms: a content analysis

Television programs portray characters with idealized body types that for most viewers are unattainable. These body types have become a common source of comparison for many young viewers who evaluate their own self-worth and bodies based on the models they see on television. This study examines body weight, both in terms of frequency and portrayals, focusing on how preadolescent and adolescent characters' bodies are presented on the sitcoms from three children's television networks. The results indicate that while children's situation comedies have relatively few overweight characters, this small percentage closely parallels national figures. Male and female characters do not differ in their distribution across weight categories. However, when character ethnicity is factored, significant shifts occur. Surprisingly, no differences were observed in the portrayal of physical and mental attributes among weight categories except in social popularity where overweight characters were not as embedded in social networks. Compared to other relevant studies, this research provides some evidence that the treatment and portrayal of overweight characters in children-targeted sitcoms is more positive, equitable, and less stereotypical than in other programming venues and that children are experiencing body type diversity in these fictional portrayals. Nonetheless, above average weight characters still suffer some social marginality and ethnic misrepresentation.

Childhood obesity stigma: association with television, videogame, and magazine exposure

Although the stigmatization of obesity among children is highly prevalent, its origins and relationship to mass media exposure are largely unknown. Ninety boys and 171 girls aged 10-13 years (mean BMI=19.84) were asked to rank, in order of liking, 12 figures of peers depicted both with and without various disabilities or obesity, and to rate their attitudes towards the obese child on visual analogue scales. Weekly time spent watching television, watching videogames, and reading magazines on weekdays and weekends was assessed. Total media use, magazine use, and videogame use were significantly correlated with more negative reactions to obese girls and boys. Regression analyses revealed that greater dislike of obese children relative to their non-overweight peers was uniquely predicted by magazine reading time. Thus, media exposure was associated with stigmatizing attitudes towards obese children. Mass media sources may lead children to devalue and stigmatize peers with above-average body weights.