Who (and what) influences your health?
6. Catch up on celebrity news
If you’re always interested in hearing about what famous people are up to, don’t be ashamed; you’re not alone—nor shallow.
“We look to popular culture to learn life strategies that would have been learned from role models within our ‘tribe’ long ago,” explains Frank McAndrew, PhD, author of several studies on the subject. “Celebrities are, by definition, people who have done well, and it’s to our advantage to learn their strategies for success and to avoid their mistakes.”
Although some celebrities make headlines only when they’ve been arrested or caught on camera doing something questionable, others use their status to help others. Actor Michael J. Fox has been the face of Parkinson’s disease since he publicly announced his diagnosis in 1998. In a testimony before a U.S. Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing in 1999, he said, “What celebrity has given me is the opportunity to raise the visibility of Parkinson’s disease and focus attention on the desperate need for more research dollars.” He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which funded $87.8 million in research programs in 2015 alone and has been called “the most credible voice on Parkinson’s research in the world” by The New York Times.
But celebrities aren’t always successful when thrusting their health causes into the spotlight. In 2008, actress Jenny McCarthy claimed that toxins in vaccines caused her son’s autism. She based her opinion on 1998 British research that was later debunked but caused millions of parents across the country to rethink or refuse vaccines for their children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a decrease in vaccinations caused measles outbreaks (and some deaths), including 667 cases reported in 2014. Of course, not all of this can be attributed to McCarthy’s outspokenness, but she has since softened her stance, explaining that she’s not anti-vaccine but “pro-safe-vaccine.”
Celebrities use their platform and influence to highlight new and progressive health methods that you may not have otherwise heard of.
Celebrities could be receiving reimbursement to tout a certain health product or regimen and often have access to resources that are expensive or not practical for most people. Additionally, they may be passing along information that is incorrect or advice that doesn’t apply to other population groups.