24 March 2010 8:15
Reality TV: good for children after all?
A study has suggested that some reality TV shows might actually be beneficial to children’s knowledge of health-related issues.
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Jacinta Hawkins, a PhD student from Massey University said that programmes such as ‘The Biggest Loser’, which features obese people, seem to be putting children off eating junk food.
Ms Hawkins spoke to a number of children, aged from 7 to 13 from six Auckland Primary schools, as part of her thesis on the promotion of health in schools. The aim was to establish how they received information on nutrition and physical activity.
A few said they learnt about health issues through television news programmes but most of them mentioned reality shows such as ‘Downsize Me’ and ‘Fat Chance’.
Ms Hawkins said that the children at all six schools had learnt about their eating patterns and exercise from television programmes. The children also recognised the role their parents played in developing their behaviour towards health issues. They believed it was their parents’ responsibility to lead by example.
Ian Lambie, a child psychologist from Auckland University, said reality shows appealed to youngsters by using bright colours, sounds and language. He said children will mimic the behaviour they see from adults in real life and in the media. They realise that if they eat a certain type of food, they will end up being a certain weight.
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