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Social marketing campaigns play a key role in responses to obesity. We examine a recent Australian obesity prevention campaign as a case study to explore public health values, and in particular consider the implications of the use of fear, risk, stigma, disgust, and personal responsibility in such campaigns. We examine the broader implications of such campaigns as forms of social control that promote certain images of body weight while problematising other body types. We consider the intended and unintended consequences of these campaigns. Responses to obesity are influenced by the political environment. The intended and unintended consequences and the political environment should be considered in the development of alternative models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the arising possibilities of adverse outcomes regarding the mandated work practices, the ethical purpose and responsibilities of health care professionals. Topics mention include the excessive working hours lead to underperformance, increased risks and actual harms and judicious management of human resources which enhances health outcomes and minimizing the economic cost.

This paper examines how Foucault's [(1979). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. New York, NY: Vintage Books] concept of the panopticon coexists in a dyadic relationship of social control with the system of the contemporary mass media - the "synopticon" [Mathiesen, T. (1997). The viewer society: Michel Foucault's "panopticon" revisited. Theoretical Criminology, 1(2), 215-234], and the relevance and significance of this dyad of social control to public health. We consider its application in the examination of several public health issues, including motherhood and gambling, and we extend Mathiesen's work to include consideration of newer interactive forms of mass media and social media and demonstrate how these contribute to this social control, again examining this in the context of public health issues and campaigns, such as alcohol and smoking, as well as noting that newer media formats may present opportunities for resistance. We explain how this theoretical concept might be used more generally in consideration of public health research and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore weight loss stories from 47 men collected from the Australian edition of Men's Health magazine between January 2009 and December 2012. Our analysis uses a mixed methods approach that combines thematic analysis and descriptive statistics to examine weight loss strategies against clinical practice guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity. All the stories reported the use of physical activity for weight loss and most stories detailed dietary changes for weight loss. Our findings indicate that most of the men reportedly used some form of behavioural strategies to assist them in their behaviour change efforts. The weight loss methods used were consistent with clinical practice guidelines, with the exception of some dietary practices. As narratives may assist with behaviour change, stories like those examined in this study could prove to be very useful in promoting weight loss to men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines community responses to the marketing of prescription medicines. Historically, debates about such marketing have focused on alleged unscrupulousness of pharmaceutical companies and on the quality of information provided. Six focus groups were conducted in Sydney, Australia, three with older and three with younger community members. Analysis examined interactions between group members, the positions participants took up, conflicting arguments, and explanations for variation. Participants argued specifically rather than generally about consumer marketing of medicines. Neither the moral purpose of corporations nor the quality of information in advertisements was particularly important. Instead, pharmaceutical marketing was assessed in relation to vulnerabilities that existed in individual consumers, in doctors, in the contexts of illness, and as a result of medications being potentially dangerous. The critical ethical issue in prescription medicine marketing may be the existence of vulnerabilities and the responsibilities they may generate. We outline three possible policy responses suggested by these participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dance classes in urban settings may have a role in health-promotion programmes seeking to increase physical activity amongst young people. However, little is so far known about the motivations, experiences or health outcomes of those participating in dance classes. This qualitative study of young people attending recreational dance classes addressed motivations, the nature of the class experience, and implications for health and well-being. Data show that young dance participants' experiences of 'the physical' are embedded in social, community/cultural or other values, and involve respect for older teachers and physical knowledge/expertise gained over the long term. Encouragement of dance-class participation may offer an important strategy for health promotion as long as the physical activity value of dance classes is not promoted in narrow, bio-mechanical terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Urotensin II (UII) is now recognized as the most potent human vasoconstrictor. Although its role in human pathophysiology is unknown, vasoactive mediators are known to be important in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension complicating chronic liver disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of UII in liver cirrhosis via examination of the in vivo effect of UII in this patient group. Material and methods. The vasoactive effects of UII were measured using Laser Doppler velocimetry on cirrhotic patients (n=14) and age-matched healthy controls (n=14) after UII administration by iontophoresis to the cutaneous microcirculation of the forearm. Results. In vivo administration of UII produced vasoconstriction of the cutaneous microcirculation in the cirrhotic group and vasodilatation in the controls, with values differing significantly at the two highest doses of UII: 10-9 mol (p=0.01) and 10-7 mol (p=0.004). Conclusions. UII mediates vasoconstriction of the microcirculation of cirrhotics but not of controls. This suggests that UII has pathophysiological relevance in the portal hypertensive population through its vasoactive properties. Further studies of UII and UII-antagonists are warranted in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the article "Clarifying Conflict of Interest," by Howard Brody. In the article the authors offer their opinions on several statements and assertions that are contained in Brody's article and on a need which exists for to have a systematic analysis and ethical dialogue in an effort to prevent ethical issues related to conflicts of interest that are raised as a result of relationships that are formed between physicians and for-profit organizations.