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Overweight and obesity are widespread, with about two-thirds of British, American and Australian people overweight or obese (IASO 2013). Overweight and obesity are associated with health risks, including heart disease, diabetes,... more
Overweight and obesity are widespread, with about two-thirds of British, American and Australian people overweight or obese (IASO 2013). Overweight and obesity are associated with health risks, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer and health care costs (Colagiuri et al. 2010). These biomedical and economic views of weight as a disease to be cured and a cost to be contained are challenged as ideological positions built on assumptions that weight is a problem, obesity is an epidemic and fat people are diseased (Campos 2004; Gard and Wright 2005), and obesity measures such as the Body Mass Index (BMI) are objective ways to categorize people of size. However, the BMI, which uses the ratio of height to weight to categorise people as underweight, healthy weight, overweight, obese or morbidly obese, has been challenged for various reasons. These include that it medicalises healthy large people as diseased, fails to focus on risky abdominal fat and may categorise muscular bodies as obese (Evans and Colls 2009). Other discussions centre on whether nutrition is more important than exercise, whether particular foods or drinks should be held responsible, who or what is responsible and what responses are appropriate. The news media influence community policies (Maibach 2007: 360). They are recognised as an important source of health information (Wade and Schramm 1969; Johnson 1998), a driver of consumer demand (Appadurai 1986), a powerful influence over health behaviours and a critical arena for the struggle for semantic control (Gitlin 1980; Ryan 1991).
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If I had a sore tummy, rashes and smelly green poo, I would certainly be concerned about what I had been eating (or drinking). Any parent seeing their baby like this would worry even more.
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If a new disease struck almost one in three adults, you'd expect to read about it on the front pages, wouldn't you? But what if this condition snuck up on you very slowly and was hidden by a lack of clear symptoms and very little... more
If a new disease struck almost one in three adults, you'd expect to read about it on the front pages, wouldn't you? But what if this condition snuck up on you very slowly and was hidden by a lack of clear symptoms and very little news coverage?
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Trying to kick the car habit is not easy but it brings benefits. Walking 16 minutes from the railway station gives your mind a chance to wander. What I wondered is why we don't do more walking or other physical activity. Some answers... more
Trying to kick the car habit is not easy but it brings benefits. Walking 16 minutes from the railway station gives your mind a chance to wander. What I wondered is why we don't do more walking or other physical activity. Some answers are obvious: many of us are chained to computers or steering wheels by our need to earn a living, most of us are tempted by television, the internet and social media, and we often use weather or heavy burdens as an excuse not to catch the train or walk to the shops. Parents have to juggle work, shopping, child care and taxiing their kids from A to B and back again. But sometimes I see mums and dads sitting for an hour while their child practises an active pastime that they could also do.
Research Interests: Sociology, Publishing, Advertising, Habit, Academic research, and 3 moreCommissioning, Sitting, and Excuse
My mother, now 77, was starting to worry she might need a hip replacement because her hips and leg muscles wouldn't stop aching. Then her friend in London announced that she was feeling much more agile since stopping her... more
My mother, now 77, was starting to worry she might need a hip replacement because her hips and leg muscles wouldn't stop aching. Then her friend in London announced that she was feeling much more agile since stopping her cholesterol-lowering medication. Despite her GP's reservations, Mother stopped her statins, gaining immediate relief and, eventually, full mobility.
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Sugar is simple* (March 2011, p. 39)! Starch is not: some starches are scantily clad floosies set on luring innocent little insulin molecules out of the pancreas; others are modestly dressed and have to be wooed to release their sugar;... more
Sugar is simple* (March 2011, p. 39)! Starch is not: some starches are scantily clad floosies set on luring innocent little insulin molecules out of the pancreas; others are modestly dressed and have to be wooed to release their sugar; and the most prudish are so coy we barely know they're there until they shack up with the good bugs in our nether regions.
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Research Interests: Advertising, Australia, Environmental Health, Public Health, Medicine, and 14 moreApplied Economics, Mass media, Newspapers, Humans, Newspaper, Public Administration and Policy, Public health systems and services research, Confusion, Carbonated Beverages, Australian Print News Media Coverage of Sweet, Libby Hattersley, Lesley King Australian, Energy Intake, and Nutritive Value
Tobacco and alcohol are major preventable causes of illness and death in Australia. To address this issue, experts around Australia have been working to design quick, effective tools which doctors and other health professionals can use to... more
Tobacco and alcohol are major preventable causes of illness and death in Australia. To address this issue, experts around Australia have been working to design quick, effective tools which doctors and other health professionals can use to encourage patients to quit smoking, or to reduce alcohol consumption for the sake of their health.
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There's a cafe in Amman, Jordan, called Sugar Rush. This is what I call truth in advertising: they know what we're looking for - a sugar hit. Other sugary communications are not so honest. For a start, sugar is often lumped with... more
There's a cafe in Amman, Jordan, called Sugar Rush. This is what I call truth in advertising: they know what we're looking for - a sugar hit. Other sugary communications are not so honest. For a start, sugar is often lumped with starch into a category called carbohydrates.
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Research background This portfolio of 17 journalistic articles published in Chemistry in Australia contributes to the fields of journalism studies. Schwitzer and colleagues have pointed that the work of medical writers can impact on... more
Research background This portfolio of 17 journalistic articles published in Chemistry in Australia contributes to the fields of journalism studies. Schwitzer and colleagues have pointed that the work of medical writers can impact on readers¿ health (Schwitzer, Mudur et al. 2005) and that news values such as conflict undermine effective coverage of medical issues (Schwitzer 2005). The Boykoffs noted that conflict reporting and demands for balance risk re-framing consensus as 'debate' and generate the problem of 'balance as bias' in science reporting (Boykoff and Boykoff 2004). This portfolio answers the question: Can enterprise journalism shed new light on health and science issues which are currently reported as if the jury were still out? Research contribution This research found that because 'enterprise journalism' - reporter-initiated research journalism - is independent of industry and need not satisfy traditional news values it is possible to represent current knowledge about a health or science issue such as fatty liver disease accurately. Independent journalism can thus focus on accuracy and resist demands for 'balance' or the need to satisfy 'conflict' news values which create pressure to give undue weight to food, beverage and energy industry messages. Research significance Bonfiglioli was invited by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) to contribute these ScienceSociety articles to the professional journal Chemistry in Australia from 2010. This led to an invitation to address the NSW Chemical Education Group in 2011 ('Are we swimming in a sea of toxins?' 15 March)
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Have you noticed all the faceless obese people used to illustrate news about overweight and obesity? In 2007, I asked whether these images demonise people of size and hinder prevention of obesity. In the same year, Charlotte Cooper... more
Have you noticed all the faceless obese people used to illustrate news about overweight and obesity? In 2007, I asked whether these images demonise people of size and hinder prevention of obesity. In the same year, Charlotte Cooper launched an online conversation about these 'headless fatties', arguing that showing fat people with their heads cropped out of the picture dehumanised them (http://bit.ly/RL0mZ2). Gavin Stern at The Michigan Daily put it this way: 'According to the many camera shots shown on the news, this country faces a pandemic of contagious, headless fat people.'
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Luckily there is no internet signal in the bedroom. I say luckily because it's bad enough that I bring my smartphone to bed so it can beep me awake in the morning and occasionally wake us up in the middle of the night with the very... more
Luckily there is no internet signal in the bedroom. I say luckily because it's bad enough that I bring my smartphone to bed so it can beep me awake in the morning and occasionally wake us up in the middle of the night with the very urgent news that someone heard me tweet. If my iPad worked in the bedroom, my inbox addiction would be exposed. I really do try not to check my emails at bedtime, but as a journalist and a journalism educator I am drawn to ambient news media like a moth bathing in a candle flame.
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This chapter presents an exploration of ethical issues arising in the news media coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic. This chapter is about key ethical challenges faced by journalists and the evolution of guidance provided for journalists... more
This chapter presents an exploration of ethical issues arising in the news media coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic. This chapter is about key ethical challenges faced by journalists and the evolution of guidance provided for journalists beyond the scope of current codes of journalism ethics. The chapter discusses these issues through the life cycle of the news media drawing on ethics resources as needed. It argues for clearer guidance for journalists reporting health, reviews of journalists’ codes of ethics to embed specific values and advice for covering health news, and enhanced employer support for staff and freelance journalists
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After a little softening up with ATMs, talking lifts and thinking fridges, we are now being invited to bond with the next generation of intelligent machines: robots. The good news is that we are being asked what we want and, mostly,... more
After a little softening up with ATMs, talking lifts and thinking fridges, we are now being invited to bond with the next generation of intelligent machines: robots. The good news is that we are being asked what we want and, mostly, robots are being designed to help humans; for example Robot Assist, Sydney's Eastern Distributor, surgery robots, language teaching bots and the noisy but fascinating joggobot.
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The Cancer Council Australia has categorically stated that the best way to reduce the risk of cancer is by reducing alcohol intake or quit drinking altogether. Doubts have also been cast on the quality of studies that have found lower... more
The Cancer Council Australia has categorically stated that the best way to reduce the risk of cancer is by reducing alcohol intake or quit drinking altogether. Doubts have also been cast on the quality of studies that have found lower cardiovascular risk in moderate drinkers than abstainers.
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An argument is presented that perception of risk may be subjective, that something may be viewed as a definite risk by some people and not by others. An example is the debate over the future risk posed by climate change.
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The popular reality television show The Biggest Loser Australia (TBL) is a significant source of media content about physical activity. This study examined audience responses to and interpretations of physical activity in TBL. A... more
The popular reality television show The Biggest Loser Australia (TBL) is a significant source of media content about physical activity. This study examined audience responses to and interpretations of physical activity in TBL. A qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted in New South Wales, Australia. A sample of 46 viewers of TBL was recruited, stratified by gender, age group, area of residence, and body mass index. Interview data were thematically analyzed to identify how viewers evaluated TBL. Respondents were most positive about TBL as public health education, premised on personal responsibility, the need for extreme action, and the possibilities of human agency (individually and collectively). Conversely, they were critical about whether the portrayal of physical activity could guide and inspire them personally. They expressed feelings of disgust and fear in response to the exercise challenges, questioned the practicality of the behavior change process in light of their own experience, and were skeptical about the purpose of the program itself. TBL’s representation of physical activity may be limited in its capacity to encourage physical activity. Despite the wide viewership of this program, encouraging physical requires innovation in the development of practical, persuasive and evidence based media messages about physical activity.
Research Interests: Psychology, Health Communication, Public Opinion, Australia, Public Health, and 15 moreAdolescent, Medicine, Audience Measurement, Mass media, Library and Information Studies, Humans, Female, Male, Exercise, Feeling, Aged, Middle Aged, Adult, Communication and media Studies, and Public health systems and services research
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To examine the extent and nature of news coverage of a government-funded population monitoring survey of children and the potential implications of this coverage for public health advocacy. Case study of the NSW Schools Physical Activity... more
To examine the extent and nature of news coverage of a government-funded population monitoring survey of children and the potential implications of this coverage for public health advocacy. Case study of the NSW Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (SPANS), a population monitoring survey of school-aged children's weight and weight-related behaviours, conducted in 1997, 2004 and 2010. Printed news items from all Australian newspapers between January 1997 and December 2011 mentioning the survey findings were identified from the Factiva database and a descriptive analysis of the content conducted. Overall, 144 news items were identified. The news angles focused mainly on physical activity/sedentary behaviour; overweight/obesity and nutrition; however these angles changed between 1997 and 2011, with angles focused on physical activity/sedentary behaviour increasing, compared with overweight/obesity and nutrition angles (p=0.001). Responsibility for obesity and weight-related behaviours was most frequently assigned to parents and food marketing, and the most common solutions were policy strategies and parental/child education and support. Population health surveys are newsworthy and when coupled with strategic dissemination, media can contribute to communicating health issues and interpreting findings in ways that are relevant for consumers, policy makers and stakeholders. Implications : This case study emphasises the news value of government-funded population surveys, while providing a cautionary note about media focus on individual studies rather than a larger body of research evidence.
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Drugs in sport have hit the media jackpot: even Prime Minister Julia Gillard is urging clubs to 'come clean' about doping. This is good advice from a strategic communications point of view: best not to compound bad news with... more
Drugs in sport have hit the media jackpot: even Prime Minister Julia Gillard is urging clubs to 'come clean' about doping. This is good advice from a strategic communications point of view: best not to compound bad news with cover-ups.
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The more computers ask me for my date of birth the more tempted I am to lie about it. It's not that I'm embarrassed about my age: considering the alternative, as my father-in-law used to say, I'm rather pleased to be getting... more
The more computers ask me for my date of birth the more tempted I am to lie about it. It's not that I'm embarrassed about my age: considering the alternative, as my father-in-law used to say, I'm rather pleased to be getting older. No, the reason I feel tempted is my perception that organisations are routinely demanding my date of birth (DOB) when (a) it is none of their business, (b) they don't need it and (c) we know they are mining the data for financial gain.
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Research Interests: Health Communication, Ergonomics, Physical Activity, Public Health, Health Policy, and 13 moreMedicine, United Kingdom, Workplace, Humans, Exercise, Communication and media Studies, Public health systems and services research, Sitting, Equipment Design, Sitting position, guidelines as topic, Sedentary Behavior, and Desk
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Advocacy informed by scientific evidence is necessary to influence policy and planning to address physical inactivity. The mass media is a key arena for this advocacy. This study investigated the perceptions and practices of news media... more
Advocacy informed by scientific evidence is necessary to influence policy and planning to address physical inactivity. The mass media is a key arena for this advocacy. This study investigated the perceptions and practices of news media professionals reporting physical activity and sedentariness to inform strategic communication about these issues. We interviewed media professionals working for major television, radio, newspaper and online news outlets in Australia. The interviews explored understandings of physical activity and sedentariness, attributions of causality, assignment of responsibility, and factors affecting news reporting on these topics. Data were thematically analysed using nVivo. Physical inactivity was recognised as pervasive and important, but tended to be seen as mundane and not newsworthy. Sedentariness was regarded as more novel than physical activity, and more likely to require organisational and environment action. Respondents identified that presenting these ...