The Cause and Effect of Responsibility Frame on the Perception of Obesity among 35-55 Years University Female Academic Staff in Nairobi County, Kenya
Authors: Kahiga Naomi 
Published: January 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the cause and effect of responsibility frame on the perception of obesity among 35-55 years University female academic staff in Nairobi County, Kenya.

Methodology: This study applied the one-group pretest-posttest experimental design. In the one-group pretest-posttest experimental design all study participants provided with the same treatment and assessment. The researcher, therefore, collected data using the pre-and posttest questionnaires. The treatment applied is Slimpossible television program season six episode one was purposively selected out of seven seasons and ninety-eight episodes covered by the Slimpossible television program. The obese females were qualified through an interview process to participate in the Slimpossible challenge, a popular weight loss television program aired by Citizen Television Network. The justification for choosing the season six-episode one television program was based on assessing the media frames according to Entman (1993), where the scholar mentions the following: human interest, consequences, morality, and responsibility. Although this study is aquasi-experimental research design, the researcher attempted to use randomization to improve the validity of the pretest and posttest experimental study design. Furthermore, out of the randomly selected sample, a purposeful sample was selected for assessment based on a specific interest (Stratton, 2019). The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. This study presented descriptive statistics using tables with frequencies and percentages. Secondly, the research conducted inferential statistics using several types of inferential analysis tools such as the Factor analysis (The Keiser-Meyer –Olkin (KMO) test), Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and regression analysis (logical regression).

Findings: From the findings, the respondents presented that the media was responsible for showcasing slim-bodied celebrities on TV, in newspapers and magazines, increasing the stigma of obesity among females. They felt that the media was also responsible for supporting controversial weight loss practices that could yield harmful to obese individuals. The respondents also state that the government and public health were responsible for the rise of obesity among 35-55 years University female academic staff because of inefficiencies, lack of health clinics specific to treat obesity cases and lack of insurance covers for obesity cases. However, on individual responsibility, the respondents' findings registered relatively low, indicating that the person may not entirely be blamed for obesity. The inferential statistics successfully obtained three components about the responsibility frame using the factor analysis. Government and public health and social responsibility factors were more likely to produce a negative perception of obesity than personal responsibility.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: In terms of contribution to theory, this study emanated from the media framing theory, where it provided responsibility frame as one among five frames, mentioned by an American political scientist known as Robert Entman in 1993. Its contribution to practice, from the conclusions, it was evident that government and public health were deemed responsible for the rise of obesity among 35-55 years University female academic staff because of inefficiencies, lack of health clinics specific to treat obesity cases and lack of insurance covers for obesity cases. Its contribution to policy looks at collaboration between World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health –in Human Nutrition and Dietetics Unit developing health and nutrition policies to caution the women suffering from obesity. The study recommends that international bodies such as the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health –in Human Nutrition and Dietetics Unit be actively involved in the development of relevant nutrition policies that address obesity cases affecting individuals and help in setting up health clinics for treating obesity cases.