Building a Culture of Quiescence: The Framing of Animal-based Foods in Children’s Fiction Movies

ABSTRACT

This study engages framing theory to examine how movies represent animal-based foods such that children are socialized into eating them without question. Using a content analysis of top-grossing children’s fiction films released between 1999 and 2019, this paper explores how the consumption of animal-based foods is normalized both by the frequency of their appearance and by the ways in which they are discursively constructed. Findings reveal a statistically significant bias in favor of promoting animal-based foods as compared to USDA guidelines; and a qualitative review of food meanings: (1) associates animal product consumption with wealth, success and celebration; (2) links animal foods to Western dietary norms; and (3) normalizes this consumption by featuring animal-based foods as a backdrop to everyday life. Conclusions suggest that media framing contributes to the conveyance of food consumption norms that may have the potential to impact both short- and long-term eating behavior.

KEYWORDS:

• Animals
• fiction movies
• children
• food
• framing

Acknowledgments

The author would like to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Jaye Atkinson, PhD for guidance on conducting with the content analysis; Carrie Freeman, PhD for reviewing the final manuscript; and Tillman Russell, PhD for direction on performing the chi-square test.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The author confirms that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article [and/or] its supplementary materials https://osf.io/y4mvz/?view_only=4ba9852ed79b4f4b9f4bf7dfda992d9f

History of work

An earlier version of this paper was submitted to Georgia State University in partial fulfillment of requirements for a PhD course in content analysis.