An internationally shared health frame of reference created by a television program: The Simpsons, a content analysis of health messages

Abstract

Watching television has become one of the most time‐consuming leisure activities of children in many nations. Television offers numerous opportunities to learn and be entertained, but can conbribute to a variety of public health concerns for youth. Thus, it is vital for health professionals to become aware of the types of health‐related messages (HRMs) broadcast on television. The purpose of this study was to content‐analyze the HRMs in a widely viewed, popular prime‐time program, The Simpsons, which is exported around the world and is rich in HRMs. Overall, nearly 40 percent of the HRMs on The Simpsons run counter to those promoted by health professionals. However, there were positive HRMs promoting practices recommended by health‐care professionals, such as choosing nutritious foods and eating together as a family. Future research should investigate how HRMs impact children's health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

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