Framing Obesity in Irish and Singaporean Media: A Comparative Discourse Analysis.

Abstract

News coverage has a big influence on public opinion. Previous research has investigated this influence, and has found that framing is often used to shape the way issues are portrayed in media. Framing choices express the values and stakes of the source, which are often in alignment with cultural values. Obesity is a global problem that generates large amounts of news coverage. The present study investigates the framing of obesity news coverage in Singapore and Ireland. A qualitative framing analysis was conducted inductively, through which three dominant frames were found: the environmental frame, the stigma frame and the fault frame. Ireland most commonly framed obesity as a result of an enabling environment and aimed for regulatory change by the government. Conversely, Singapore most commonly attributed obesity to unhealthy lifestyle choices and emphasised the role of parents to raise children with desirable habits. The research attempted to explain identified differences using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (Hofstede, 2011).