Le régime entre santé et esthétique ? Significations, parcours et mise en oeuvre du régime alimentaire

Abstract

[paper in French] This paper analyses the meanings, trajectory and perception of nutritional recommendations concerning weight control and dieting, through 85 semi-directive interviews. The article underlines three oppositions concerning the meanings of “diet”: firstly, dieting is closely linked to health (hygiene of life) in the upper strata, whereas in the lower strata health does not often constitute an aim; secondly, dieting is perceived in a preventive perspective and in a broad meaning in the upper strata, whereas in the lower strata it is taken in a curative and narrow meaning (targeting treatment on a short time); thirdly, dieting may constitutes the basis of an experimented knowledge concerning overweight prevention, whereas dieting can remain an applied prescription, when the obsession of losing weight prevents obese people from constituting one’s personal knowledge. Sources of nutritional recommendations are numerous, coming from the medical field and dieting programs, in a context of a strong influence of media. The paper underlines also the importance of opinions leaders. In consequence, social belonging and intensity of social links constitute two main factors helping women to follow a diet, whereas loneliness and breaks in careers are often at the origin of a significant disinvestment in body care.