Dietary Supplements and the Gym, or, a Tale of Corporate Social Responsibility
2015
This case considers the health risks of weight-loss supplements, which are often advertised at and sold by gyms and fitness centers as a revenue stream. It follows the story of a physician, local activist, and personal trainer who build a coalition, leveraging principles of corporate social responsibility, to pressure a local gym chain to stop selling weight-loss supplements at the front desk. Through this case, students learn how to use principles and strategies for motivating corporate social responsibility to promote health and well-being in consumers. This case is accompanied by a downloadable lesson plan that includes a homework assignment and in-class assignment instructions.
The case is one in a series of teaching cases developed by the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders (STRIPED), a graduate-level training initiative based at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Boston Children’s Hospital, to engage students in real-world dilemmas, problem solving, and teamwork to tackle current, high-impact issues in eating disorders prevention.
Dietary Supplements and the Gym, or, a Tale of Corporate Social Responsibility
Source:
Weinberger E. Full of Surprises: Dietary Supplements and the Gym, Or, A Tale of Corporate Social Responsibility. Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders, Harvard University 2015. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/teaching-cases/full-of-surprises-dietary-supplements-and-the-gym-or-a-tale-of-corporate-social-responsibility.