Media literacy has potential to improve adolescents health [editorial]

Media literacy is a relatively new approach to helping young people make good decisions about their health. My favorite simple definition of media literacy is that were teaching adolescents how to read "Baywatch" as well as "Beowulf." Basically its the idea that the popular media (television movies music teen magazines the Internet) in which adolescents are immersed are probably as important as the classics in teaching cultural norms and expectations. Decades of research has shown that the media do affect adolescents aggressive and sexual behavior body satisfaction and eating disorders as well as alcohol use and cigarette smoking. I and other media-effects researchers have found that the media can serve as a kind of super peer for young people glamorizing and normalizing often unhealthy behavior. (excerpt)