People who are curious and regularly informed by the media lead a healthier lifestyle, researchers say.
Experts from the Catholic University of Rome are examining the link between receiving information from the media and eating habits, especially concerning the Mediterranean diet, among more than 1,000 adults. The participants in the survey fill out a special questionnaire about their habits of using the media.
It has been found that those who regularly read newspapers and magazines, watch TV and surf the Internet, consume more fruits and vegetables, fish and other healthy foods, which reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease and cancer.
The findings could help determine the contribution of the media to raising people's awareness of health issues, scientists say.
The results show that the most curious and using the mass media adhere most to the Mediterranean diet, which is considered an effective diet to reduce the risk of chronic and degenerative diseases of the nervous system.
According to previous research, the media can have a negative impact on health. For example, watching television is associated with lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating, which are major risk factors for obesity and heart disease.
But the latest findings show that health-related television programs, for example, have a positive impact on viewers in terms of living a healthier lifestyle and eating.
In their next study, researchers will explore online media as a key way to inform young people about health issues.
The study was published in the International Journal of Public Health .