The mass media and American adolescents' health.
American teens today grow up in a world saturated with the mass media. In general, the media depict a world in which unhealthy behaviors such as physical aggression, unprotected sex, smoking, and drinking are glamorous and risk-free. We summarize what is known about the media's effects on four adolescent health issues that have been studied most comprehensively: violence and aggression; sex; obesity, nutrition, and eating disorders; and alcohol and tobacco use. A number of approaches that have potential for helping turn the media into more positive forces for adolescents' health are discussed
Brown
Jane D
JD
School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA. jane_brown@unc.edu
Witherspoon
Elizabeth M
EM
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D040241:Social Marketing; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data