[Alimentary practices of rural women: a new body perception?].
OBJECTIVE
To determine how women in a rural area perceive their bodies and modify their practices, considering alimentary behavior disorders (overweight, obesity, and thinness).


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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Pérez Gil-Romo
Sara Elena
SE
Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán y Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, México, DF, México. seperezgil@laneta.apc.org
Vega-García
Luz Amaranta
LA
Romero-Juárez
Gabriela
G
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires