Article Review: TV Viewing Habits and
Impossible Bodies
Name: Abdulla Awad Hejail
ID: H00280536
Article Review: TV Viewing Habits and
Impossible Bodies
Article
1
SECTION 1
Source:
HCT Libraries page >Discover>Electronic Resources
Search
terms: TV Viewing Habits
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Title:
Altering TV Viewing Habits: An Unexplored Strategy for Adult Obesity
Intervention?
Abstract
In
this article, I examine TV viewing habits as a social phenomenon for
intervention on obese adults and children. Attempts to limit TV viewing among
children has reported positive progress in preventing pediatric obesity;
however, not much attention has been given to the same on adults. With a
recorded increase in the rate of TV viewing in the US, there has been a decrease
in energy expenditure resulting in high numbers of overweight and obese
children and adults. Besides, the increase in the hours that Americans watch TV
implies increase in calories intake. Therefore, watching TV affects the normal
eating habits among adults and children, and policy makers must come up with
ways of reducing time people spend watching TV.
Reference
Foster, J. A.,
Gore, S. A., & West, D. S. (2006). Altering TV viewing
habits: An unexplored strategy for adult obesity intervention? American
Journal of Health Behavior, 30(1), 3-14.
SECTION 3
Population
The
study used a big number of women and men of different ages and races to
determine the body mass index to determine the correlation between TV viewing
and the BMI. For instance, at one point, a study by Fitzgerald et al. sampled
1476 women and 976 men of age between 21 and 60. The years when these data were
compiled are different, and were done in different locations.
Research Approach
The
approach used was qualitative in the data taken from other sources – the
results were presented in numerical form. Markedly, the people interviewed were
of different gender and ages, and the presented data showed both the
cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of viewing of television and obesity
in adults.
Participant Selection
This
article just relied on works and findings of other authors to present its
report. However, from the tables, the selection cut across all races and
genders in the US. The analysis looked at the relationship between TV viewing habits
and obese among participants.
Main Results
There
were mixed results from the obtained data. For example, adults who watched TV
for 41 hours a week showed a positive relationship between TV viewing and
obesity, while this was not the same to Australian adults and, to some extent,
Pima Indians. The control of BMI did not eradicate the risks of TV viewing. The
main challenge is that most food adverts do not send the idea of a healthy diet
and food intake. The study does not expound on the impact of leisure time on
people’s eating habits as well as TV viewing duration. There is also no proper
mitigation strategy that people can use to change the TV-viewing habits.
Article
2
SECTION 1
Source: HCT Libraries page
>Discover>Electronic Resources
Search
terms: Impossible Bodies
SECTION2
Title:
Impossible Bodies: TV Viewing Habits, Body Image, and Plastic Surgery Attitudes
among College Students in Los Angeles and Buffalo, New York
Abstract
This
paper described a female character, Cindy Jackson, who used her inheritance
penny to perform plastic surgery on her body to be like her girlhood favorite
doll, Barbie. The lady, according to Comedian Joan Rivers, was “A bombshell who
wasn’t born that way … she lived a real-life Cinderella story” (Albright,
2009). The Cinderella story has found its way into many American popular
culture and even globally. A television show like The Swan, which inform viewers that plastic surgery provides ugly
ducklings the chance to change to a beautiful woman of their dream, at one time,
was viewed more than the Miss America beauty contest. In the present century,
American women have adopted the practice as part of their culture – a clear
effect of TV viewing habits. Notably, most women after watching TV makeover
shows like Extreme Makeover and The Swan begin to have a negative view of their
own images and bodies, making them take drastic measures to change their
appearances and size. With children always tending to behave as their role
models, the media, through social learning theory, plays a key role in determine
the actions of many children in their entire lifetime. The dissatisfactions
with body image as well as entire body among college students of Buffalo, New
York, and Los Angeles, California show how TV viewing has altered the
perceptions of both males and females on the concept of beauty.
Reference
Albright, J. M.
(2009). Impossible Bodies: TV Viewing Habits, Body Image, and Plastic Surgery
Attitudes among College Students in Los Angeles and Buffalo, New York. Configurations, 15(2),
103-123.
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Population
The
participants were 662 male and female college students from Los Angeles (458) and
Buffalo, New York (204). There were 61 questions divided into varied categories;
females were 65%, and men took the remaining percentage. The article does not
show the exact period when the research was done.
Research Approach
The
study approach was qualitative with participants filling questionnaires and
results given numerically. Every participant was interviewed on many sections,
and a detailed outcomes are analyzed by the researcher.
Participant Selection
The
selection of the students was done taking care of the races, gender, and
regionalism, that is, two locations, Buffalo, New York (N = 204) and Los
Angeles (N = 458). Again, 235 were male and 427 were female, but it later
became apparent during the survey of existence of class differences.
Main Results
The author confirms the role of
media in changing the perception of the society on the concept of beauty and
body image. Even though Julie M. Albright confirms that no research has been
done to bring out the relationship between body dissatisfaction and plastic
makeover programs. The difference in family income and race played out
significantly in the responses obtained from the samples. Image and body
satisfaction as well as self-esteem are heavily affected by the parameters. In
sum, TV viewing habits have positive links to the change in perceptions,
attitudes, and behaviors of people in the society in regards to body image.
SECTION 4
Article 2 by Albright is better than
article 1 by Foster, Gore, and West. Straight away from the method of
data collection, Albright uses primary sources of data collection, while the
trio borrows data from previous researchers – secondary avenues. The next
important aspect is the vivid presentation of outcomes – the division into
different segments like in the case of factoring in the idea of class
difference and social stratification in the society. The article on Impossible Bodies goes out to cover
varied segments: plastic surgery, TV viewing habits, and body image – the
research was broader than that of article 1, which merely focused on TV viewing
habits and effects on body weights of people.
From another perspective, Albright’s
article brings out the cause of rampant overweight among African-Americans. He
argues that since they have lower income than their white counterparts do, they
tend to eat anything that comes their way. Markedly, their interpretation of
having money is for use on needs, especially food, shelter, and clothing. On
the aspect of body image, those lower in the socio-stratification ladder in the
society tend to view themselves as highly discriminated, making them hate
themselves – and eventually engaging in drastic image and body alteration to be
acceptable and seen as beautiful.
Professionals in practice like
nutritionists should take it seriously to advise the African-Americans and the entire
global population on the essence of eating healthy foods – a balanced diet
after given time intervals. At the same time, counsellors, religious leaders,
and motivational speakers have a duty to instil into the current human race the
spirit of self-esteem. The move will make people value themselves and others in
their natural states, hence reducing instances of imbalanced bodies. I would
like to know how the author took the scenarios from an individual perspective
as well as inculcate the effect of cultural changes and technological
developments on the same. The article remains hanging on what people can
undertake to delink from the Cinderella lifestyles, which are a mixture of
varied beauty practices – not natural. People ought to practice
self-satisfaction with their status or else they have to engage in ethical
means to move up the societal ladder.
