Article Review CLO5

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

SECTION 2

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.   

SECTION 3

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.