An analysis of the nutrition messages in the mass media and dietary intake of high and low media users

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to analyze nutrition messages in the mass media, and to determine if there was a difference in dietary intake between high and low media users. A telephone survey (n=75) was conducted to determine consumers'use of the media and dietary intake. Twenty-eight news programs about food or nutrition, 1071 food advertisements, 36 prime-time programs that mentioned food or nutrition and 37 nutrition articles from newspapers and magazines were analyzed by content analysis to determine the nutrition messages in each. The high media users' mean dietary intake of protein was significantly lower thanthatofthelowmediausers'(p<.05). Foodadvertisementswereshownat times when the consumers most likely would be hungry and frequently appeal to the consumers' sense of taste. Spokespersons for these advertisements were most frequently normal weight anglo adults. The news programs and nutrition articles tended to focus on current topics of research or recently published information and show/discuss foods that should be eaten or avoided as a result of this new information. References to food or nutrition occurred approximately 7 times per hour on prime-time television. These foods were eaten in typical situations by normal weight anglo adult characters. The use of the mass media appears to be related to individuals' dietary intake. Prime-time television is sending conflicting messages to the viewer by showing normal weight individuals who frequently consume foods of low nutritional value. More detailed studies that measure media usage, foods eaten while using these sources, and nutritional analysis of these foods are needed.