What are the Positive and Negative Effects of Mass Media on the Health of Modern Day North Americans?
Mass Media’s Role on Health Mass media, by communicating with large amounts of people, can have a huge impact on the public’s knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours. Firstly, body image has a huge contribution on public when receiving mixed messages through mass media. Second, mental health has become an issue by poorly influencing self-esteem. Third, physical health has been portrayed poorly in media by promoting unhealthy habits that can become addictive as having more immediate plessure. Fourthly, media has implimated ways in which it can also promote positive outcomes of health. Mass media plays a positive and negative role on health of modern day North Americans. Making health influential on all North Americans.
Body Image
Many modern day North Americans have a daily concern with being uncomfortable in their own body with many pressures from mass media. Mass media is sending out mixed messages, advertising both junk food and a so called perfect body image influencing how men and women look at themselves. For some getting thin becomes an obsession. Ironically, there are more obese teens than ever before because of lifestyle choices of eating junk food more often than fruits and vegetable.(Jane D. Brown, 2002) As well as, having more distractions inside with electronic types of media that keep many North Americans from getting the recommended amount of exercise needed. The media is playing a role here in two ways.
Firstly, is the act of attending media, because it requires no physical movement involved (Jane.D Brown, 2002). Having no contribution to the health aspect of one’s life then contributes to the result of weight gain. Many children and adults spend endless amounts of time sitting in front of some type of an electronic device screen. Those for example that sit in front of the television tend to consume snack foods that are typically high in fat and sugars. “People see an average of 12 to 21 food ads per day (4400–7600 ads per year), yet
Body Image
Many modern day North Americans have a daily concern with being uncomfortable in their own body with many pressures from mass media. Mass media is sending out mixed messages, advertising both junk food and a so called perfect body image influencing how men and women look at themselves. For some getting thin becomes an obsession. Ironically, there are more obese teens than ever before because of lifestyle choices of eating junk food more often than fruits and vegetable.(Jane D. Brown, 2002) As well as, having more distractions inside with electronic types of media that keep many North Americans from getting the recommended amount of exercise needed. The media is playing a role here in two ways.
Firstly, is the act of attending media, because it requires no physical movement involved (Jane.D Brown, 2002). Having no contribution to the health aspect of one’s life then contributes to the result of weight gain. Many children and adults spend endless amounts of time sitting in front of some type of an electronic device screen. Those for example that sit in front of the television tend to consume snack foods that are typically high in fat and sugars. “People see an average of 12 to 21 food ads per day (4400–7600 ads per year), yet