Why don't they just pull themselves together and eat less? public perceptions of animal use in obesity research

TY - GEN

T1 - Why don't they just pull themselves together and eat less?

T2 - Global food security: ethical and legal challenges. EurSafe 2010

AU - Lund, Thomas Bøker

AU - Lassen, Jesper

AU - Sandøe, Peter

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - Opinion polls and previous research have demonstrated that, in Europe, public acceptance of laboratory animal use is depends heavily on the purpose for which the animals are being used. For instance, the use of animals in cancer research is widely endorsed, whereas their use in the testing of cosmetics is generally rejected, partly on the basis of the view that people should stop using cosmetics. A similar argument may form the basis of critical attitudes to the use of animals in research into obesity and other so-called lifestyle-related diseases. Previous qualitative research indeed suggests that animal research into obesity may be rejected by some because they believe that overweight people could just pull themselves together and eat less. Drawing on survey data from two representative Danish samples collected in 2010, this paper investigates the acceptability of animal experimentation relating to obesity. We also ask whether findings from qualitative research, where people stress personal responsibility as a reason for rejecting obesity research, can be replicated in a quantitative study. Further perceptions and ethical values lying behind an attitude of rejection are also examined. Our results show that obesity-related animal research occupies an intermediate position in public acceptability. It is clearly less acceptable than using laboratory animals in cancer and cardiovascular research but considerably more acceptable than cosmetics testing. Data also show that rejecters do not tend to have discriminatory views or less knowledge of the severe consequences of obesity. Their negative stance is based primarily on the view that obesity is self-inflicted and that people therefore must bear the consequences of their overeating.

AB - Opinion polls and previous research have demonstrated that, in Europe, public acceptance of laboratory animal use is depends heavily on the purpose for which the animals are being used. For instance, the use of animals in cancer research is widely endorsed, whereas their use in the testing of cosmetics is generally rejected, partly on the basis of the view that people should stop using cosmetics. A similar argument may form the basis of critical attitudes to the use of animals in research into obesity and other so-called lifestyle-related diseases. Previous qualitative research indeed suggests that animal research into obesity may be rejected by some because they believe that overweight people could just pull themselves together and eat less. Drawing on survey data from two representative Danish samples collected in 2010, this paper investigates the acceptability of animal experimentation relating to obesity. We also ask whether findings from qualitative research, where people stress personal responsibility as a reason for rejecting obesity research, can be replicated in a quantitative study. Further perceptions and ethical values lying behind an attitude of rejection are also examined. Our results show that obesity-related animal research occupies an intermediate position in public acceptability. It is clearly less acceptable than using laboratory animals in cancer and cardiovascular research but considerably more acceptable than cosmetics testing. Data also show that rejecters do not tend to have discriminatory views or less knowledge of the severe consequences of obesity. Their negative stance is based primarily on the view that obesity is self-inflicted and that people therefore must bear the consequences of their overeating.

M3 - Article in proceedings

SN - 978-90-8686-154-5

SP - 395

EP - 399

BT - Global food security

A2 - Romeo Casabona, Carlos M

A2 - Escajedo San Epifanio, Leire

A2 - Emaldi Cirión, Aitziber

PB - Wageningen Academic Publishers

Y2 - 16 September 2010 through 18 September 2010

ER -