Abstract

In order to investigate if nutrition-related TV programs give the public correct and useful imformation, 26 producers(PD) having worked for any one of the nutirtion-related TV programs were surveyed by using questionnaire on the attitudes toward seeking an expert's advice about the issues and the panelist's constitution of one typical nutrition-related TV show program broadcasted during the last 5 years was analyzed. The most important reason for selecting the nutrition-related issues was to satisfy the interests and demands of audiences. Both being motivated by food-related accidents and to educate people for the health promotion were the second ones. In the process of nutrition-related program production, 53.9% of PDs always requested expert's advice, while 46.1% occasionally did. Professors in food and nutrition were regarded as the most proper advisor. Dietitians, physicians and physicians of Chinese medicine wer the next in order. The similar pattern were shown in the rankd of specialists actually invited as panelists to the program. Both the speciality and being well-known were less positive and favorable for participating in the program compared to experts in other areas. The number of programs about food and nutrition broadcasted on the TV show during 1993-1997(July) was 361(about 30%). The total of 1,043 specialists appeared, 2.9 persons per program on the average. Of these, only 12.9% were professors in food and nutrition as well as dietitians. The largest(20.2%) was physicians or medical professors, and 13.6% cooks and 12.6% physicians of Chinese medicine. Of 361 programs 45 were thought to be undesirable on the panelist constitution. Particualrly in 19 programs, where nutritionists were not invited, physicians or physicians of Chinese medicine explained diet therapy, food, nutrient or dietary habit.