Saturday, 27 December 2008
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Mixed Health Messages On Women's Magazines
Back when I was in college, taking a course in Women's issues and the media, one of my professor's pointed out how misleading some Woman's magazines can be. How they send some mixed messages.
Now she wasn't talking about ALL of the Woman's magazines, just some of them. Ever since I heard that lecture from my professor, I have checked out the different magazines and what she said was generally true.
I notice it more than I used to. Just take a look at some of the magazine covers and maybe you'll see what she meant. “Woman’s Day" or "Woman's World." for example.
Every time I look at the covers, they usually feature a picture or a description for this gooey, yummy cake or some cookies. Then, right next to it or down below on the same cover, it gives you a weight loss method.
Notice the HUGE "Flush Out Fat, Lose 18 Pounds..." and the smiling skinny model. Then on the bottom, the picture of a recipe for "Pancakes and Cream" Cheesecake.
Eat that and lose weight? Okay? That's confusing. Another Woman's magazine, "Family Circle" puts these luscious desserts on the cover.
Then there’s something like "Lose weight in a month.” After you eat that coconut cake? Or maybe the cake is just for your guests?
Do you think women's magazines are misleading, sending mixed messages about health? Have you noticed it in some of the magazines you pick up? What do you think is the reason for something like that?
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- From: lifeatrandom@xanga
- Name: Melissa
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Comments (40)
Binge and purge!
Do you think women's magazines are misleading, sending mixed messages
about health?
Yes. Definitely.
Have you noticed it in some of the magazines you pick
up?
My mom pointed out this very issue with Woman's World. All those recipes alongside weight loss techniques! And it's not like the recipes are particularly conducive to weight loss...
What do you think is the reason for something like that?
They need women to buy the magazines, so they put the weight loss stuff in there. But they put the recipes in there so women will stay fat and need to buy more magazines for the weight loss tips...
@LadyLibellule@xanga - Brilliant...
I totally agree. All these weight loss secrets and programs..they are all designed to make money from insecure women. And that insecurity stems from magazines that feature beautifully skinny women....and conveniently delicious desert recipes so you can stay fat and never get off the program.
My mom and I both read Women's World and I never look at their food in it. I get other tips.
hmmmmmmmmmm interesting theorryyyyyyyy
yea...
Magazines are meant for providing entertainment, not professional, reliable advice. Anyone who takes that stuff seriously needs a reality check.
Do you think women's magazines are misleading, sending mixed messages about health?
well, cooking "stereotypically" is a woman's job, so of course it's going to be in a woman's magazine. most magazines are mass media entertainment, so they just play on what the majority wants. what is the majority of women concerned with?
it's not that they're misleading *intentionally*, they're only concerned about making money. if the majority was obsessed with fat martians, every mag would have an article feat. a fat martian. since they only care about what's best for them (making money) they don't care what's best for you, which results in "mixed messages." they're only saying what it takes to get you to buy them.
Have you noticed it in some of the magazines you pick up?
I don't read magazines anymore.
What do you think is the reason for something like that?
see question #1
I think that media outlets try to tap into what really gets our attention. For some it is food & weight loss. It seems that controlling food has become extremely fascinating. I know I am food obsessed. I would love to lose weight and eat "forbidden" foods. It is very complex, but I am tangled in the mix.
read penthouse.
everyone's happy then.
magazines are evil :(
I have also noticed this for years. I have even pointed it out to my husband. I think that the diet programs in these magazines are exaggerated (highly) and feed into wish fulfillment that we can have our cake and eat it too--so to speak.
I don't mind articles about healthy living alongside food porn-balance between the two is good. The idolizing androgynous, pre-pubescent riblet body types...not so productive.
I think the bigger issue is when they have big long articles about "fat acceptance" and every other page in there is about dieting :)
Well duh! If women were satified and maintained personal security, these things would go out of business. So yeah, try that "All Dark Chocolate Diet"! Lose weight the tasty way! Win/Win! Oh...it didn't work? Buy THIS week's edition and try our new diet, Self-esteem Through Baked Goods!
These magazines are in the business of selling hope--False hope.
@nekkid@xanga - I think I'm beginning to believe that!
@Magniloquentia@xanga - I concur!
@LadyLibellule@xanga - that's a great theory!
@MonkeyPeanut@xanga - very true, talk about mixed messages!!
Hahaha unbelievable.
If you eat the cake, you'll just have to read next months issue so you can drop those 10 pounds you gained "in just 4 weeks!"
It's a cycle. Same thing with diet foods.
Without all of our insecurities and all of this fattening food, these magazines would be GONE.
Fuck the corporate world biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiotch
@LadyLibellule@xanga - i agree :) it's all marketing/media *i know this cuz we look at something similar in psychology class*
Huh, interesting. I never really noticed this but I don't read a lot of magazines. It is true though. But I personally don't think I would make some recipe from a magazine just because it takes too much time. I might be like 'oh that plate of cookies looks good' but I also don't use the weight loss tips. Some of them are ridiculous. Saying you can get a toned and flat stomach in just a couple weeks. Well unless you are already skinny and somewhat muscled I seriously doubt it.
Perhaps if you substitute sugar with Splenda then you can have that cake and not feel guilty. You would not believe the number of girls I know who think that if you just use Splenda instead of real sugar then it's ok to eat whatever you want without gaining weight.
I always notice that in the Woman's World magazines. There will be pages of pages of beautiful images of delicious cakes, treats and general food, and all the recipes to make them, then on the next page there will be diet tips.
Like, really?
All the time. Almost all magazines, men or women, also cover one of the 3 topics - sex, weight loss, clothes/how to dress
"sometimes you need to rub salt into the wound to feel needed" - modern feminist movement philosophy