Diet and health in the perspective of adolescents: Contributions for health promotion

Abstract

Objective: To describe the social representations of healthy eating and to analyze the relationships established with health. Method: An exploratory and descriptive study, with qualitative approach that applied the Social Representations Theory. A semistructured interview was conducted with 31 adolescent students, aged 10 to 13 years, from a municipal school in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) from September to November 2013. The Alceste software was used to analyze the two classes of greater statistical significance. Results: Adolescents choose foods with higher fat content, with faster preparation time and more sugar. They care about health, but they prioritize pleasure and taste. They establish a relationship between diet, body weight and health, understanding that fat people are more prone to diseases. Conclusion: Healthy eating is conceptualized by what adolescents consider good or bad for their health, but this evaluation is not directly related to their eating practices. The contradictions between knowledge and practice are evidenced in order to guide propositional interventions with this population group.