[Laziness as the single explanation for physical inactivity: commentary and reflections on discrepancies between scientific evidence and media discourse].

Abstract:

:This essay aims to suggest food for thought on discrepancies between scientific evidence on physical inactivity and the associated factors and determinants and information communicated by the media on this topic. We specifically examine a case in which "laziness" was used as the "explanatory" factor for the high levels of physical inactivity in the Brazilian population. We use as examples a scientific article published in Nature and two news stories published in mainstream Brazilian media channels (Veja magazine and O Globo newspaper) that commented on the former. There were important inconsistencies between the scientific content in the Nature article and the news stories, which took a simplistic approach to a real and complex problem (high levels of physical inactivity in Brazil), suggesting that "laziness" explains why Brazil ranks so poorly in the world in terms of physical activity. We highlight the need for mass communications media to better contextualize the information they republish, because otherwise the impact can be more negative than positive, especially when they build or reinforce misconceptions. This is particularly serious in the case of physical inactivity, since such news coverage can lend legitimacy to the lack of investments in measures to deal adequately with the problem. If physical inactivity is interpreted merely as a matter of "laziness", it makes much less sense to invest in modifying various determinants of this serious public health problem. :Este ensaio busca apresentar elementos para a reflexão sobre discrepâncias entre as evidências científicas produzidas a respeito dos fatores associados e determinantes da inatividade física e as informações que são passadas pela mídia a respeito desse assunto, mais especificamente em um caso em que a “preguiça” foi utilizada como fator “explicativo” para os elevados níveis de inatividade física na população brasileira. Utilizamos, como exemplos, um artigo científico publicado na Nature e duas reportagens veiculadas em canais de comunicação brasileiros de grande alcance (revista Veja e jornal O Globo), que o repercutiram. Foram observadas importantes incoerências entre o conteúdo do artigo da Nature e os títulos das reportagens analisadas, de forma que essas simplificaram um problema real e complexo (os altos níveis de inatividade física no Brasil), dando a entender que a “preguiça” seria o motivo para o Brasil estar mal posicionado em um ranking internacional de prática de atividade física. Destacamos a necessidade de os meios de comunicação em massa buscarem uma melhor contextualização das informações que repercutem, pois, quando isso não ocorre, o impacto pode ser mais negativo do que positivo, principalmente quando constroem ou reforçam concepções equivocadas. No caso da inatividade física, isto é potencialmente grave no sentido de que pode legitimar a falta de investimentos em ações voltadas ao seu enfrentamento, pois, uma vez que a inatividade física passa a ser interpretada como uma mera questão de “preguiça”, perde-se boa parte do sentido de se investir na modificação de diversos determinantes desse problema de saúde pública. :Este ensayo pretende presentar elementos para la reflexión sobre las discrepancias entre las evidencias científicas, producidas respecto a factores asociados y determinantes de la inactividad física, y la información que trasmiten los medios de comunicación respecto a este asunto, pero específicamente en un caso en el que la “pereza” se utilizó como factor “explicativo” para los elevados niveles de inactividad física en la población brasileña. Utilizamos, como ejemplos, un artículo científico publicado en Nature y dos reportajes difundidos a través de canales de comunicación brasileños de gran alcance (revista Veja y periódico O Globo), que lo difundieron. Se observaron importantes incoherencias entre el contenido del artículo de Nature, y los títulos de los reportajes analizados, de manera que estos simplificaron un problema real y complejo (los altos niveles de inactividad física en Brasil), dando a entender que la “pereza” sería el motivo por el que Brasil estaría mal posicionado en un ranking internacional de práctica de actividad física. Destacamos la necesidad de que los medios de comunicación de masas busquen una mejor contextualización de la información que difunden, puesto que, cuando esto no sucede, el impacto puede ser más negativo que positivo, principalmente cuando construyen o refuerzan concepciones equivocadas. En el caso de la inactividad física, esto es potencialmente grave. En el sentido de que puede legitimar la falta de inversión en acciones dirigidas a su combate, ya que, una vez que la inactividad física pasa a ser interpretada como una mera cuestión de “pereza”, se pierde buena parte del sentido en invertir para la modificación de diversos determinantes de este problema de salud pública.

journal_name

Cad Saude Publica

authors

Loch MR,Guerra PH

doi

10.1590/0102-311X00223017

subject

Has Abstract

pub_date

2018-11-29 00:00:00

pages

e00223017

issue

12

eissn

0102-311X

issn

1678-4464

pii

S0102-311X2018001203001

journal_volume

34

pub_type

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