Week 6 Assignment: Media Messages & the Food Industry

Week 6 Assignment: Media Messages & the Food Industry

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to assess media messages about body weight, food, and exercise.

Directions

Part 1:

Keep a daily log of the media messages (advertisements, articles, posts, etc.) you read, hear, or see that involve body weight, weight loss, food, or physical activity for a minimum of 3 days out of the week. Your log should include:

· Date and time you encountered the message

· Media source (list specific website, social media site, newspaper, magazine, location of billboard, radio station, etc.)

· A brief paragraph giving an overview of the media message you received

Part 2:

Provide an analysis of each message. Your analysis should include:

1. Was the message positive or negative? Give specific reasons to support your opinion.

2. Was the message accurate based on science and research?

3. Was the message from a reliable source or a paid promoter?

4. Was the message selling a product or advocating for a behavior change?

5. Who do you think was the target audience?

6. Would this message cause you to change your habits? Why or why not?

Part 3:

Using the data you collected from the media messages plus information found in this week’s readings, write a 2-3 paragraph overview of the impact of the food industry and agricultural policies on our food supply, food choices, overall health, and body weight.

Submission Instructions

Submit your answers in the assignment submission area located in the weekly content area. All documents must be in either .doc, .docx. or PDF formats in order to be graded.