The influence of western culture in the care of the body relative to aesthetics, physical activity and food

Abstract

The body is part of the personal identity of each individual, and as identity does, it changes along lifetime, so it is perceived differently in each life phase and it is used by the individual to express their own identity. The body is something more than a set of differentiated cells and it is highly valued in every society. Thus, different patterns of body care represent each culture. In this sense, we are asking how western culture is conditioning body care behaviors relative to aesthetics, physical activity and alimentation. These care behaviors vary among populations according to the values that they associate to body image. In the same way, they also differ within each population, as these values evolve over time. Ultimately, culture is generating a series of behaviors that can become risk factors for some diseases. Thus, nurses will have to identify those potentially harmful body care behaviors to encourage alternative healthy behaviors, focusing on evaluations, availability, motivations, rewards, preferences, aversions and self-concept of each individual in each age group.

Keywords

• imagen corporal
• cuidados corporales
• prevención
• enfermería