Scientists say that soap characters with unhealthy lifestyles should be shown the consequences to bring the reality closer to the people.
Private healthcare firm Bupa released the "top ten" unhealthiest characters that they believe should be used to hammer home health messages.
For example, a heavy smoker Dot Cotton, from Eastenders, should appear breathless, with heavy drinkers in soaps having broken veins. Survey done by the Derby University suggested an average of 17 units of alcohol were down on every episode of "Emmerdale", with a third of its residents potentially classed as "depressed drinkers". Other characters who are regularly smoking, eating unhealthily or drinking too much, are shown as being perfect healthy and in shape.
While Dot Cotton has a smoker's voice, deeper than you might expect, she does not have shortness of breath and is not wheezy she would certainly be in real life. Shadrach Dingle, from Emmerdale, would have a red face with broken veins with his regular alcohol consumption.
Then Tyrone Dobbs, from Coronation Street, who consumes far too much saturated fat and does no exercise, would have high cholesterol levels and possibly a heart disease.
If these characters would be portrayed more realistically with all the consequences of their unhealthy lives, maybe a message would finally start to reach people. The soaps are an important way of getting a message across.
Private healthcare firm Bupa released the "top ten" unhealthiest characters that they believe should be used to hammer home health messages.
For example, a heavy smoker Dot Cotton, from Eastenders, should appear breathless, with heavy drinkers in soaps having broken veins. Survey done by the Derby University suggested an average of 17 units of alcohol were down on every episode of "Emmerdale", with a third of its residents potentially classed as "depressed drinkers". Other characters who are regularly smoking, eating unhealthily or drinking too much, are shown as being perfect healthy and in shape.
While Dot Cotton has a smoker's voice, deeper than you might expect, she does not have shortness of breath and is not wheezy she would certainly be in real life. Shadrach Dingle, from Emmerdale, would have a red face with broken veins with his regular alcohol consumption.
Then Tyrone Dobbs, from Coronation Street, who consumes far too much saturated fat and does no exercise, would have high cholesterol levels and possibly a heart disease.
If these characters would be portrayed more realistically with all the consequences of their unhealthy lives, maybe a message would finally start to reach people. The soaps are an important way of getting a message across.
I totally agree. I am wondering if soap characters with unhealthy lifestyles were paid extra money by the tobacco and alcohol industries to promote their unhealthy products. If this were indeed the case, it is only fair that such under-the-table transactions should be made known to the general public.
I am particularly impressed with the no-bull approach of this article. Good job, Lori.
I am particularly impressed with the no-bull approach of this article. Good job, Lori.