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A New National Health Agenda: Providing the Public With Accurate Information
Author(s) -
Cogan Jeanine C.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/0022-4537.00122
Subject(s) - dieting , government (linguistics) , public relations , public health , health promotion , political science , health policy , weight loss , health education , public administration , medicine , environmental health , obesity , nursing , linguistics , philosophy
For decades the recommendations provided by federal agencies have been decidedly one‐sided, focusing on the dangers of obesity and need for weight loss. Therefore the public has been presented with incomplete and inaccurate information, which has stagnated our understanding of health. The primary objective needed for a new national health agenda is for the government to provide the public with complete and accurate information about health, weight, and dieting. In order for federal agencies and congress to promote a new national health agenda that reflects a more accurate understanding of the research, the author recommends the following policy changes: (1) the recognition of the health threat imposed by the thinness pursuit and eating disorders, (2) the promotion of weight stability rather than weight loss, (3) ensuring that the conclusions of federal agencies are neutral rather than serving special interest groups, (4) the protection of the consumer from harmful diet programs and drugs, and (5) the providing of public education campaigns emphasizing physical and psychological health rather than efforts for advancing such a national health‐centered agenda.