Senses of body image in adolescents in elementary school

Abstract

OBJECTIVETo comprehend the perception of body image in adolescence.METHODSA qualitative study was conducted with eight focus groups with 96 students of both sexes attending four public elementary school institutions in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, in 2013. An interview guide with questions about the adolescents’ feelings in relation to: their bodies, standards of idealized beauty, practice of physical exercise and sociocultural influences on self-image. In the data analysis we sought to understand and interpret the meanings and contradictions of narratives, understanding the subjects’ context and reasons and the internal logic of the group.RESULTSThree thematic categories were identified. The influence of media on body image showed the difficulty of achieving the perfect body and is viewed with suspicion in face of standards of beauty broadcast; the importance of a healthy body was observed as standards of beauty and good looks were closely linked to good physical condition and result from having a healthy body; the relationship between the standard of beauty and prejudice, as people who are not considered attractive, having small physical imperfections, are discriminated against and can be rejected or even excluded from society.CONCLUSIONSThe standard of perfect body propagated by media influences adolescents’ self-image and, consequently, self-esteem and is considered an unattainable goal, corresponding to a standard of beauty described as artificial and unreal. However, it causes great suffering and discrimination against those who do not feel they are attractive, which can lead to health problems resulting from low self-esteem.

Body image perception in scholars of a school in the brazilian north region

“…Possibly perfect body patterns internalized by the media have an effect on self-image that is not consistent with a healthy nutritional status. 7 Dissatisfaction with body image, perfectionism, high BMI, women and low self-esteem are factors associated with high rates of eating disorders found in a study of adolescents between 12 and 15 33 .…”

“…Sociocultural pressures lead females to an ideal of extreme thinness and males to an athletic and muscular torso. These are images that constantly reach young people through various media -commercials, fi lms, television 7,8 .…”

Inquérito sobre a funcionalidade do joelho em mulheres praticantes de BODYPUMP™

“…A constante transformação do corpo, para inserção em um padrão social imposto pela mídia, revela uma insatisfação pessoal, adestrado pela cultura, concebido socialmente, alterado segundo crenças e ideais coletivamente estabelecidos, vivendo assim uma obsessão de ter um corpo estereotipado 14 . Mais da metade das mulheres avaliadas (75%) relataram ter, com a prática da modalidade, o objetivo de definição muscular.…”

Insatisfação com o peso corporal e estado nutricional de adolescentes: estudo de base populacional no município de Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil

“…The female body is expected to be attractive, slender and healthy, with a median height 13,14 . For males, the expectations are a taller body, broad shoulders and well-defined, rigid muscles, especially the biceps and abdomen 14,15 .…”