Ideal Corporal Masculino: Percepciones De Estudiantes Universitarios De Nutrición

Abstract

Body image is a dynamic entity that includes three components: perceptive, cognitive-affective and behavioral; It is constructed of characteristics such as age, sex and educational level, as well as the ideas established by the context. The interaction between the psychological and the social can lead to the development of clinically relevant behaviors. Thus, the objective of the present investigation was to know the perceptions on the male body ideal of the college students of nutrition. Through a focus group, since the qualitative-phenomenological approach and based on the participants discourse, four categories of analysis were derived. It was found that media (including social networks), cultures, stereotypes and beliefs are predominant factors in the construction of the male body ideal, which is reflected in self-esteem, health, economic, occupational or professional opportunities, and to achieve it, can be developed eating disorders symptoms or muscular dimorphic disorder symptoms. It is conclude that the focus group allows knowing the perceptions related to male body ideal by college students of nutrition, where it was showed that, also the society pressures to achieve that ideal, for example, participants express body satisfaction, but wish to modify their composition, so their beliefs determine what must be done to reach such ideal. Therefore, it is evident the importance of carrying out intervention programs at the primary level in college students, from health psychology.