Fitness Magazine Interviews: a lesson in catering to your audience

Earlier this month, the USDA released an updated version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a document that promotes health based on what seems to be the biggest health problems affecting the country. This updated version hopes to combat obesity by promoting the incorporation of whole foods, exercise and portion control and seeks to incorporate more nutrient-rich foods into the daily diets of Americans.

Last week, Fitness Magazine published this article; an interview with Registered Dietitian, Elizabeth Ward discussing the effects the new guidelines could have on women’s health.

The most common problems that Ward suggested would be remedied were related to obesity and deficiency. Ward warns that pregnant women need to maintain health through the pregnancy in order to lessen the chances that their unborn children will become obese. In addition to this, she also draws attention to the idea that American women are often deficient in calcium, fiber and Vitamin D and suggested an incorporation of the nutrients into one’s diet is important.

Although the initial USDA document is made with a focus on Americans in general, Fitness uses the document as a way to promote specific health changes to women. The document seems to focus on obesity as a problem for nearly all Americans, but in order to make this problem seem more individual Fitness centers their obesity discussion on pregnant women. The document also claims that Americans in general are deficient in many key nutrients, but Fitness seems to focus only on the nutrients that are commonly promoted as nutrients especially important to women’s health.

This idea of promoting health by making a general claim appear individual seems to be extremely common when media mediums are used for health communication. By making something seem individual it appeals more to an audience. Women reading this magazine article may at first glance feel as though they have been given the gift of women’s health knowledge. Maybe they have, but I have a feeling this “gift” is one that will be very seen in more places than just Fitness Magazine. The problem of obesity could also be addressed in a men’s magazine or a parenting magazine while the idea of nutrient deficiency could be addressed by focusing on different nutrients depending on the audiences. By catering to their demographic, Fitness Magazine has most likely found the best way to promote the USDA document especially because it focuses on American idea of individualism.