Abstract

GIL-ROMO, Sara Elena Pérez; VEGA-GARCIA, Luz Amaranta  and  ROMERO-JUAREZ, Gabriela. Alimentary practices of rural women: a new body perception?. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2007, vol.49, n.1, pp.52-62. ISSN 0036-3634.

OBJECTIVE: To determine how women in a rural area perceive their bodies and modify their practices, considering alimentary behavior disorders (overweight, obesity, and thinness). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The approach was qualitative. An initial survey of 37 women in Huatecalco, Morelos, Mexico was conducted, from which six mothers were selected for extensive interviews. RESULTS: Concern about their bodies was detected in some of these women. Obesity is rejected and thinness is equated with "beauty", and the publicity around losing weight (diets, "light" foods and drinks, exercise, etc.) is modifying some of the alimentary practices among the women. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that the cause of this phenomenon needs to be more extensively investigated, since it could become a public health problem in rural areas of the country.

Keywords : alimentary practices; rural women; femenine body perception; Mexico.

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