Childhood Obesity

            According to this chapter ethical issues are a concern in communicating risk. Understanding what the potential ethical issues are can help us make better decisions when informing the public of their risk. Questions risk communicators may face are: How much information should I release? Who should I release it to? The chapter introduces that the reason ethical decisions are so different are because we each have our own “ethical code.” That is because we each had a different upbringing or had different experiences that shaped our values and morals.

Words like morals, beliefs, values and ethics tend to be interchanged for each other. It is difficult to define each one without using the other in the definition. However, I have attempted to clarify these definitions:

Values: Something you hold in the highest regard in particular to your “group.” Your group can be your family, your culture (American etc.), religious affiliation, work association (culture) and so on. This alone can create a conflict because we can be members of multiple groups. Forcing us to choose what we hold in highest regard when these different groups clash.

Morals: the practice of “right” or “good” conduct.

Ethics: With assistance from the chapter we can define ethics as a balance of regulations, honesty, confidentiality and fairness. The keyword here is “balance.” When trying to balance something there will be a conflict. So we could also define ethics as a conflict between the communicator, the corporations and the man; in the end though I feel that ethics are decisions made for the majority “common good.”

Risk communicators face decisions like: When should we involve the public? What are the advantages or disadvantages with the stage we seek involvement? 

I will face these decisions when communicating the risk of childhood obesity. Some of the culprits behind childhood obesity may not like to get the finger pointed at them. However, pointing the finger helps to target the problem to find the solution. However, I have to be careful not to offend anyone because I will need the support of parents, children, educators and government to make the solutions work.

My boss of five years has always told me, “Katie, perception is reality.” This chapter also talks about that. I know that even if I am trying to communicate something one way it may be perceived or interpreted by another in a different manner. Therefore, I need to consider this to ensure my message is clear.

A personal note on my morals:

 My father always told me we are only as good as our word. I try to live by that. If I say something I need to be able to back it up and support it to be creditable. If I say something and don’t follow through my word won’t be worth much. However, my word is worth a lot and I need others to hear it.