De que alimentação saudável estamos falando? Perspectivas de usuárias de um serviço de nutrição

Abstract

This dissertation reflects on the conceptions of healthy eating of individuals who sought out a nutritionist with the aim of losing weight. The meaning of healthy eating varies depending on who defines it, considering beliefs, values, education, socioeconomic environment and narratives to which we are exposed daily. The scenario of globalization in food culture facilitates the dissemination of science in the media, which has had an important impact on the scenario of dietary changes, presenting alternatives adjusted to urban conditions, aiming at new modalities in the way of eating. However, food must guarantee and respect cultural and socioeconomic dimensions, in accordance with individual experiences and realities. The objective of this dissertation was to explore and analyze the native conceptions about healthy eating of users treated by a nutritionist, in a medical center in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro. To fulfill the objective of this qualitative research, semi-open interviews were carried out and ten contributions were selected. The observed result was that the biomedical discourse is fully adopted by the participants and that values, beliefs and culinary traditions are left aside when defining their concepts of healthy eating. Nutritionists, doctors, physical educators and people on a diet were mentioned as sources of information, in addition to all of them claiming to carry out frequent research on the internet on the topic. The study concluded that it is necessary to give light to psychosocial factors present in food as well as biological factors, since the conceptions of a healthy diet have been influenced by counting calories and nutrients, neglecting the fundamental and enriching experience of eating.