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Influences

External Influences

Influences come from many directions and sources. Family, peers, social media, and advertising are just a few typical sources of influence. Billboards and advertisements make high-calorie fast foods look so delicious even when we are not hungry. We get messages that the norm (usual, typical or standard behavior) is to celebrate holidays, sporting events, and most parties centered around food and alcohol. All types of external influences send messages that “everyone is doing it.” Your perception of messages will influence your beliefs and behaviors. These influences will have an impact on choices you make for your health.

Mixed Messages

We are encouraged to eat healthy and stay active. However, movies, television, and all types of media send conflicting messages. Traditionally family culture (family values, norms, traditions) tends to instill in us attitudes toward right and wrong, good and bad that guides our beliefs and behaviors. Our family culture shapes our way of thinking, acting, and basic family way of living.

Certainly, the goal of most families is to be happy and healthy. Yet, sometimes we may get mixed messages such as these:

  • family gatherings that encourage overindulgence in food or alcohol
  • busy schedules that allow little time for family meals
  • social media obsession that prevents family interaction

Influences are not all bad. Although teens are exposed to negative pressures and influences in the school environment, there are positive promotions as well. Tornado and fire drills encourage safety awareness for self and family protection. Student organizations such as SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) are just one example of reinforcing positive behaviors.

Let's look at how external factors influence our health beliefs and behaviors.

Family Influence

Families have both positive and negative influence on our health beliefs and behaviors.

Families can provide positive influences in these ways:

  • Healthy supportive relationships in families build self-esteem and confidence.
  • Teens with close family relationships develop strong mental and emotional health.
  • Teens whose families model positive behaviors are more likely to avoid:
    • risk behaviors
    • substance abuse
    • bullying
    • poor health decisions
  • Family influence plays a role in teens being more socially involved in school and community activities.
  • Teens with a healthy family environment have shown evidence of lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and stronger immune system.
  • Families who encourage and participate in regular medical checkups, including vaccinations and dental care, have better overall health.
  • A healthy family environment has been shown to influence positive health beliefs and behaviors.

There are no perfect families. We can overcome any negative influences our families may provide.

Families can provide negative influences in these ways:

  • Families that do not encourage physical activity and healthy eating behaviors tend to pass those unhealthy habits on to their children.
  • Families that have conflict and poor communication skills cause higher stress level.
  • Families where parents or adults smoke are more likely to have teenagers smoke or vape.
  • Families that have substance abuse issues are negatively affecting those around them.
  • Parents that do not set realistic boundaries or discipline properly are negatively affecting their children.
  • A lack of emotional closeness or support affects mental health.
  • A lack of family support negatively affects emotional development.

Peer Influence

Friends and peers influence us positively and negatively.

Positive influences include:

Good Role Models

  • Encourage working hard in school
  • Support healthy eating behaviors and physical activity
  • Encourage and support joining a team, club, or religious group
  • Listen to your problems
  • Avoid risk behaviors and risk situations
  • Support your values and beliefs

Negative influences include:

  • Pressure to participate in anything you do not feel good about doing
  • Encouraging experimenting with alcohol, smoking, vaping, or any drug use
  • Pressure to violate your values or beliefs
  • Bullying
  • Not respecting rules or laws
  • Participating in risk behaviors and risk situations

Media Influence

How does exposure to media influence our health behaviors and beliefs?

  • Time spent on social media encourages less interaction with family.
  • Teens who spend more time with media, television, computers, and gaming spend less time with face to face socializing.
  • Teens who spend excessive time on media tend to be less physically active.
  • Social media, advertising and other media have an influence on personal and family health by exposure to:
    • Substance abuse
    • Sexual messages
    • Violence
    • Fast food ads
    • Unrealistic body image messages
    • Cyberbullying

Technology Influence

Technology can be both good and bad.

When used correctly technology offers these benefits:

  • Health apps for diet, exercise and mental health
  • Creditable sources for medical advice
  • Online education
  • A feeling of connection
  • Valid health resources

Overuse of technology can lead to these issues:

  • Obesity linked to sedentary lifestyle
  • Irregular sleep schedules and shorter duration of sleep
  • Behavioral problems
  • Loss of social skills
  • Violence
  • Less time for play

Government Influence

Public health policies and government regulations influence health behaviors and disease prevention.

Examples of government influence include:

  • US Dietary guidelines for Americans
  • MyPlate diet recommendations
  • Vaccination policies for schools and public health
  • Seat belt laws
  • Restricted drivers license
  • Hands free
  • bill for drivers
  • Disability compliance requirements
  • Mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect

Social Norms

Norms are accepted standards of how to act or behave. We adjust our behaviors according to the norms of changing social situations. While it is important to understand and adjust to various situations, it is also important to remain true to our core values. For example, it might be acceptable at home to put your feet on the coffee table, but it might be considered rude to put your feet on the furniture at a friend’s house. A core value of respect tells us not to put our feet on the furniture unless we are invited to do so.”

Norms also influence change. In your parents' lifetime, it was common for restaurants to permit smoking inside. That is not the norm today.

Think about how norms influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors in regard to:

  • body image and weight management
  • smoking or vaping
  • social media trends
  • sexual behaviors
  • wearing seat belts
  • texting while driving
  • teen pregnancy

It’s the norm today for teenagers to be consumed with social media. Many teens have access to all types of media in the privacy of their own bedroom. Not only do media sources consume much of teenagers’ time, it has a great influence on their beliefs and behaviors. It can become a priority over being involved in school activities and sports. Computer time, gaming, and television can interfere with physical activity and healthy eating behaviors.

According to Teenhealth.org, teenagers who spend many hours looking at TV, computer, tablet, phone, or video games have less time for other important things like exercise, learning, real-world socializing, and even sleep.

Social media use is associated with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. The article “Social Media: Adolescents and Young Adults Mental Health” gives us more details about how social media can lead to depression and interfere with the social development of teens. The article describes benefits of social media along with how it is tied to mental health. Pay particular attention to the section “What Should You Do?” for tips on how to take helpful breaks from social media.

Communities

Communities we live in also have an influence on health behaviors. Providing walking trails and parks encourages physical activity and spending time outdoors. Recreation centers offer a venue for families to participate in social events and recreational sports. People who have access to nearby health and dental care, or transportation to reach care providers, are more likely to participate in routine screenings and receive care as needed. We can encourage and initiate plans for our family to take advantage of community efforts to promote and improve health.

Advertising

Positive changes can happen by limiting advertising exposure to young people. In May 2006, the nation’s largest beverage distributors agreed to halt nearly all sales of sodas to public schools. Now only water, unsweetened juice, and low-fat milk is available. Diet sodas should be only in high schools.

However, it has been reported that Coca-Cola paid Warner Bros. Studios $150 million for the global marketing rights to the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

The CDC reports “e-cigarettes (electronic cigarettes) are the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. middle and high school students. Exposure to e-cigarette advertisements is associated with higher odds of current e-cigarette use among middle and high school students.”

You will find other interesting facts about the influence of advertising in the article “Children, Adolescents, and Advertising.” This article targets specific topics of health related to advertising. Read through this article to learn more about the effect advertising has on teenagers. Pay particular attention to the last section Recommendations as to how we can decrease exposure to negative advertising.

Avoiding Overexposure

We cannot completely avoid the constant stream of messages and influences. We can learn to limit our exposure to such influences.

  1. The number one way to avoid over exposure to negative advertising is to limit screen time. This not only reduces marketing tactics coming our way but negative social media messages as well.
  2. Take days off from social media or Internet use. You should not be controlled by your phone.
  3. Counteract negative suggestions from friends by offering healthy choices of food, activities, and entertainment.

Your perception of social norms along with your personal values and beliefs will guide the decisions your make for your health and well-being. Taking control of what you are exposed to will have a positive impact on your health.