Critically evaluate how the UK government has attempted to persuade the public about ‘Change4Life’

Thèmes abordés

Change4Life UK NHS Campaign Analyses

Résumé du document

"Critically evaluate how the Government has attempted to persuade the public to 'change4life".

What is Obesity?

Obesity is defined as an excess of body fat accumulation and a body mass index (BMI) above 30. This physical condition leads to other physical disorders like diabetes and other diseases.

Unfortunately, obesity is a global issue and overweight levels are rising all over the world. United Kingdom isn't an exception: This epidemic has gone out of control. Moreover, even if most medical complications are found in adults, obesity levels are also rising in children. Furthermore, obesity-related illness is predicted to reach £50 billion by 2050 (Sottan & Lean, 2009). "Change4Life" is the response of the UK government against this crisis. This campaign aims to prevent citizen from obesity. It purposes to encourage a behavioural change in the UK by inspiring Britons to eat better and exercise more (Department of Health, 2010). Yet, a lot of controversies surround these kinds of campaigns according to which the government tends to communicate and influence a huge range of citizens. Through this essay, we will analyze how the UK government has attempted to persuade the public with 'Change4Life' in three ways: (1) on what is Change4Life founded?; (2) what kind of campaign has the government used? and then (3) evaluate the impact of Change4Life on Britons and its advantages/disadvantages.

Extraits

[...] To try to make them submit by force simply won't do' Mao Zedong Then, persuasion is the intent to achieve a particular reaction; in the case of Change4Life this is a societal and individual behavioural change. Yet, this isn't an exact science and receivers can resist, above all in health relation (McElroy 2002). So, there are several processes to follow to ensure that the persuasion is effective: work out the message source, elaborate the likelihood, and then define psychological theories that can affect receiver's response. [...]

[...] To attempt this, Government should co-operate with media (Qualitative project conducted in 2007 by the Department of Health). Social marketing and Public campaign “Social Marketing is just not a set of tools to accomplish social change. It represents a new ideology, or mind-set, the assimilation of which can prepare the ground for widespread and more effective social Government, health services or organizations use different methods to influence individuals to drink less, exercise more, take care of them etc. One of these methods is called “Social Marketing”. [...]

[...] Through this essay we will analyse how the Government has attempted to persuade the public with ‘Change4Life' in three ways: on what is founded Change4Life; what kind of campaign had used the government and then evaluate the impact of Change4Life on Britons and its advantages/disadvantages. (Weiss & Tschirhart 2007) CHANGE4LIFE 3 http:// I. Change4Life Current situation & goals Globally, healthcare is one of the highest priorities of government. Since 1998, the World Health Organization (WHO) had implemented the HEALTH21 policy that comprised several values like: Health is a fundamental human right Equity in health across nations Participation by, and accountability of, individuals, groups, communities, institutions, organizations and all sectors in the health development movement (WHO 1999: 4). [...]

[...] So, it is really important to ensure that public funds are efficiently and effectively spending. Unfortunately, the programme is too recent (2009) to make a relevant evaluation; the social shift must be made on the long-term. However, we can define what would be monitor in 2 or 3 years: Campaign coverage of targeted audiences; Impact on families; Shift of social behaviour. CHANGE4LIFE 9 http:// Critiques First of all, there is much to welcome in the Change4Life program; this a campaign based on prevention that targeted families with children. [...]

[...] Yet, different receivers construe messages differently. As McQuail (1987) said there is four-selection process that determines how an individual receives a message: attention, perception, group situation and motivation. Thus, the target audience in the one who is appeal by those four filters (Tench & Yeomans, 2006). Change4Life seems to be focused on prevention, because it is easier to prevent weight gain and health than lose weigh once it has been accumulated. Therefore, it key audience is families that have child. [...]