HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (17) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Greenberg, B. S. Articles by Brownell, K. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Greenberg, B. S. Articles by Brownell, K. D. Related Collections Gender Obesity, Overweight, Underweight Media Prevention

Bradley S. Greenberg, PhD, Matthew Eastin, PhD, Linda Hofschire, PhD, Ken Lachlan, MA and Kelly D. Brownell, PhD

Bradley S. Greenberg, Linda Hofschire, and Ken Lachlan are with the Departments of Communication and Telecommunication, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Matthew Eastin is with the School of Journalism and Communication, Ohio State University, Columbus. Kelly D. Brownell is with the Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Bradley S. Greenberg, PhD, Departments of Communication and Telecommunication, Michigan State University, 477 Communication Arts and Sciences Bldg, East Lansing, MI 48824 (e-mail: bradg{at}msu.edu).

Objectives. This study examined the distribution and individual characteristics of body types on prime-time television.

Methods. Five episodes of each of the 10 top-rated prime-time fictional programs on 6 broadcast networks during the 1999–2000 season were quantitatively analyzed.

Results. Of 1018 major television characters, 14% of females and 24% of males were overweight or obese, less than half their percentages in the general population. Overweight and obese females were less likely to be considered attractive, to interact with romantic partners, or to display physical affection. Overweight and obese males were less likely to interact with romantic partners and friends or to talk about dating and were more likely to be shown eating.

Conclusions. Overweight and obese television characters are associated with specific negative characteristics.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. D. Willows, D. Marshall, K. Raine, and D. C. Ridley Diabetes awareness and body size perceptions of Cree schoolchildren Health Educ. Res., December 1, 2009; 24(6): 1051 - 1058. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. A. Primack, B. Swanier, A. M. Georgiopoulos, S. R. Land, and M. J. Fine Association Between Media Use in Adolescence and Depression in Young Adulthood: A Longitudinal Study Arch Gen Psychiatry, February 1, 2009; 66(2): 181 - 188. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. N Bleich Public perception of overweight BMJ, July 10, 2008; 337(jul10_1): a347 - a347. [Full Text]

				H. A. Wilkin and S. J. Ball-Rokeach Reaching at risk groups: The importance of health storytelling in Los Angeles Latino media Journalism, August 1, 2006; 7(3): 299 - 320. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Carr and M. A. Friedman Body Weight and the Quality of Interpersonal Relationships Social Psychology Quarterly, June 1, 2006; 69(2): 127 - 149. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Carr and M. A. Friedman Is Obesity Stigmatizing? Body Weight, Perceived Discrimination, and Psychological Well-Being in the United States Journal of Health and Social Behavior, September 1, 2005; 46(3): 244 - 259. [Abstract] [PDF]

				Minerva BMJ, November 22, 2003; 327(7425): E258 - 258. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Minerva BMJ, August 16, 2003; 327(7411): 402 - 402. [Full Text] [PDF]