Virtuously watching one's health: older adults' regulation of self in the pursuit of health.
Individual responsibility for health is socio-culturally emphasized. This study used discourse analysis to examine 60 New Zealand adults' (aged 55-70) uptake of health promotion discourse in talk about health and ageing. Many participants attempted to defy or manage an ageing body through a regime of exercise, food management and other practices. The subject position of being in control of one's health counteracted anxieties about ageing; following strictures of health promotion provided a virtuous moral identity. However, there is a danger of feeling individually responsible for ill-health, or betrayed when health promotion's promises contradict the experience of an ageing body.
Pond
Rachael
R
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. R.L.Pond@massey.ac.nz
Stephens
Christine
C
Alpass
Fiona
F
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002755:Choice Behavior; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology