1. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making A Media-Framing Analysis of Obesity: Adults vs. Kids Changmin Yan, Ph.D. The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication

2. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Introduction What’s obesity? –Adults: BMI >= 30. –Kids: Age & Sex-Specific BMI What contributes to obesity? –Energy Balance Equation = Energy Intake + Energy Expenditure (CDC, 2007)

3. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Introduction Obesity Prevalence (CDC, 2008).

4. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Introduction Agency Objectives: (PI: Fuyuan Shen, Ph.D.; Co-PI: Changmin Yan, Ph.D.) –Trends of media coverage on obesity. –Differences and commonalities among adults and kids.

5. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Introduction Research Questions/Hypotheses: (PI: Fuyuan Shen, Ph.D.; Co-PI: Changmin Yan, Ph.D.) –Trends of media coverage on obesity; adults vs. kids. –Agenda-Setting (McCombs & Shaw, 1972; 1993; Andsager & Powers, 2001) 1 st level: issue salience 2 nd level: issue frames RQ1: # of Stories RQ2: Adults vs. Kids Causes & Solutions Adults vs. Kids

6. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Introduction Research Questions/Hypotheses: –Framing of obesity causes and solutions. A news frame is a pattern of selection and salience (Entman, 1993; Reese, 2003). Causes: –Internal vs. External Attributions (Heider, 1958; Jones & Nisbett, 1972) –Individual Behavioral vs. Systemic Attributions (Iyengar, 1991) –Behavioral, Systemic, & Genetic Factors (CDC, 2007) –RQ3: # of behavioral, systemic, & genetic frames for adults and kids.

7. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Introduction Research Questions/Hypotheses: –Framing of obesity causes and solutions. Causes: –Energy Imbalance: Food Intake & Physical Activity (CDC, 2007) –RQ4: # & types of food intake frames for adults and kids. –RQ5: # & types of physical activity frames for adults and kids. –RQ6: # & types of solutions for adults and kids.

8. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Methods Media: The New York Times Time Frame: Jan. 1, 1985 – Dec. 31, 2006. Key Words in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe: “Obesity, Obese, and/or Overweight” in headline & lead paragraphs. 542 Stories. Coding: level of agreement > 90%, Krippendorff’s alpha > 0.70.

9. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Methods Coding Scheme: Causal Attributions –Genetic and Biological Causal Claims –Influences on Food Intake Behavioral causal claims. Systemic causal claims –Influences on Physical Activity Behavioral causal claims. Systemic causal claims

10. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Methods Coding Scheme: Solutions (Lawrence, 2004) –The Information Environment –Restrictions on Access to Calorie-Dense or Low- Nutritional-Quality Foods –Economic Factors –Legal and Regulatory Environment –Prevention and Treatment Programs –Social Norms

11. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ1: # of obesity-related stories.

12. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ2: # of obesity-related stories, adults vs. kids.

13. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ3: # of behavioral, systemic, & genetic frames for adults and kids.

14. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ3: # of behavioral, systemic, & genetic frames for adults and kids.

15. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ3: # of behavioral, systemic, & genetic frames for adults and kids.

16. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ4: # & types of food intake frames for adults and kids.

17. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ4: # & types of food intake frames for adults and kids.

18. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ5: # & types of physical activity frames for adults and kids.

19. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ5: # & types of physical activity frames for adults and kids.

20. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ6: # & types of solutions for adults and kids.

21. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Results RQ6: # & types of solutions for adults and kids.

22. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Discussions General Trends –Overall Coverage –Causal Attributions –Energy Imbalance Adults vs. Kids –Adults: Causes & Solutions –Kids: Causes & Solutions Implications

23. C onsortium for the Study of ommunication and Decision Making The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Questions? Email: changminyan@wsu.edu Collaborations and Ideas: Consortium for the Study of Communication and Decision Makingchangminyan@wsu.edu