Reality Television: America's New Obsession and Its Effect on Society

Reality Television: America's New Obsession and Its Effect on Society

America's fascination with other people's lives can be traced back to when soap operas were one of the most watched programs on television. Housewives all over were glued to their television sets from noon to 4pm. The drama that soap operas provided along with the fantasies it created for its viewers contributed to its popularity. America's continued thirst for drama and entertainment has shifted from scripted dram to reality television. Reality television has become an obsession with in American society. Reality television has become a great source of entertainment but at the expense is giving people the false reality of health, teen life, and bullying.

Reality television serves as a motivational tool to get its viewers to live healthier lives. While shows like The Biggest Looser inspire viewers to work at losing weight it is unrealistic for them to expect the same results as the contestants. The Biggest Losers format is to show the transformation of contestants identified as being morbidly obese to a healthy weight according to American standards. The contestants are required to reside on a ranch for a specified amount of time. During their time on the ranch their meals are monitored and are assigned professional trainers. Viewers watched weekly to watch the transformation the contestants go through. The show is filled with drama, disappointment, and triumph. While some view the show as having a positive impact on the epidemic of obesity in America there are some that view it negatively. According to Sarah Domoff (2012) The Effects of Reality Television on Weight Bias: An Examination of The Biggest Loser study viewed the basic concept of the show negatively, believing that it portrayed stereotypical character traits of obesity, promoted individual responsibility for weight (as opposed to genetic or environmental factors), and gave unattainable, unrealistic, and unaffordable weight-loss solutions. People struggling with weight control are faced with a number of obstacles to include resources, education on healthy eating and fitness, and finances. It is easy for someone to say weight loss is obtainable based on the results being displayed on reality television. The issue is that the shows are designed for entertainment and financial gain. Most Americans aren't afforded the benefit of being in a controlled environment where meals are prepared and controlled. Francome and Bachelor (2009) states TBL neglects to offer any narrative on the health implications relating to intense work-outs, extreme dieting, mental or physical challenges. TBL does not deem itself 'responsible' or 'accountable' for informing the public on healthy living or how to reduce the occurrence of obesity; there is a lack of information on the 'right' foods to consume (although many of those most readily available in poorer neighborhoods - the 'wrong' foods - are demonized in the program) and there is no narrative concerned with the health implications of obesity or any of the classed and social dimensions associated with the epidemic. Reality television fails to provide the educational aspect of fighting obesity. People that view shows like The Biggest Loser are more concerned with the drama of the show rather than the realistic work that goes into losing weight. A number of Americans find that it is hard to maintain healthy eating habits due to financial hardship. In most cases it is cheaper to buy a meal that is high in cholesterol rather than a meal that promotes a healthy lifestyle. As Sender and Sullivan's (2008) audience research on TBL has suggested, it is far more gratifying to see contestants' sweat and tears than it is to see a lesson in how to gauge the number of calories in a burger. In most cases obesity can be related to a person's financial standing. There is a higher rate of obesity, high cholesterol and heart disease among people identified as having financial hardship. If the cost of staying on The Biggest Loser ranch, cost of food, and personal training were ever revealed to its viewers it may give them a better sense of the work it goes into weight loss. Reality shows have done a great job of exploiting the lives of people struggling with weight loss but have failed to identify the mental aspect of obesity. Reality television does show an occasional mental break down that its contestants go through during physical exercise. They also do a great job in displaying the struggle contestants have with sticking to a prescribed diet. However, they fail to relate to their viewers why the contestants are struggling with weight loss. A number of people battle with weight loss because of traumatic incidents they have had in their lives. Some people use food as a source of comfort to deal with issues they have in their life. Once contestants have gone through the grueling physical training to transform their lives they still have undisclosed mental issues to deal with. Reality television as it relates to health has proven to be popular and profitable. The issue is overall effect is has on its viewers and are the results obtainable by a person who doesn't has the resources the show provides? Viewers are attracted to the end result as opposed to the work it takes to get there. Shows such as The Biggest Loser has programmed it viewers into deciding what an acceptable body weight is. Obese people are taught to evaluate themselves negatively (physically, cognitively, and emotionally), because they don't fit into socially prescribed body dimensions. Such implications are framed with moral overtones; according to Sender and Sullivan (2008). Obesity is a staggering epidemic in America and should be taken seriously. Reality television attempts to combat obesity with shows like The Biggest Loser. The problem is that they fall short in informing its viewers of the realistic steps it takes to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Reality television has proven to have a greater influence on the morals and values of teenagers. Teenagers tend to glamorize the lives of characters of people on television rather than that of successful people in their community. According to Kaltcheva Patino (2012) with the continued popularity of reality television among young viewers, it is vital to identify pre-teen and teen audiences who not only watch a reality program but have a high level of connectedness to it. Connectedness extends beyond just viewing the program and involves further engagement -- posting on social networking sites, for instance,