Perception of the nutritional discourse for the control of overweight and obesity among women from low-income households in Santiago, Chile

Abstract

Currently, Chile has levels above the regional and the global average for overweight and obesity. This condition is distributed unequally among the population, concentrating among women (who lead the Latin American obesity ranking) and increasing among those with low incomes. This data verifies that the nutritional problem exceeds the biological scope, thus it is crucial to observe its sociocultural conditions. Since 2005, public policies have been implemented based mainly on offering recommendations and nutritional information to the population. Through a qualitative-ethnographic study, we inquired about the woman’s perception of the health discourse and the nutritional recommendations. We confirm that messages about proper eating are received and understood. However, they are internalized as highly restrictive, incompatible with their lifestyles, and require changes that participants felt they were incapable of or sufficiently supported by their immediate environment. We concluded that it is necessary to redirect efforts, shifting the focus from the dissemination of information and individual responsibility, to the construction of strategies that place people at the center of their particular contexts.