Crenças e influências sobre dietas de emagrecimento entre obesos de baixa renda / Beliefs and influences on weight loss diets among low-income obese individuals

A obesidade tornou-se uma epidemia carente de controle imediato, principalmente entre pobres, mulheres e pessoas de baixa escolaridade. A OMS solicita e vários estudos corroboram que estudos esclarecedores sobre os comportamentos psicológicos e sociais interferentes na aderência terapêutica aos regimes devem ser encorajados. Este estudo usou a Teoria da Ação Racional - TAR, de M. Fishbein, em Psicologia Social, e comparou duas séries de entrevistas abertas (em 2001 e 2005) que eliciaram as crenças positivas (vantagens) e negativas (desvantagens) sobre fazer dieta entre obesos de baixa renda de João Pessoa, Paraíba, além dos referentes (pessoas de opinião influente) destes pacientes quanto a segui-la. Os resultados de 2001 foram corroborados em 2005, revelando o medo das doenças relacionadas à obesidade e a vontade de sentir mais saúde e leveza de corpo. Mães, filhos e principalmente o cônjuge aparecem como apoiadores do regime. Ressaltou-se que não bastaria força de vontade, mas também reflexão e construção de habilidades de controle, apropriação e modificação das condições de vida. Preocupações estéticas não foram prioritárias. Estas informações podem fomentar melhores resultados na aderência terapêutica.

Obesity has become an epidemic that requires immediate control, mainly among the poor, particularly women and the less educated. The WHO requests and several studies confirm that support is needed for research projects examining psychological and social behavior that hampers compliance with weight loss diets. This paper uses the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) of M. Fishbein (1975) in social psychology, comparing two series of open interviews (conducted in 2001 and 2005) that disclosed positive (advantageous) and negative (harmful) beliefs about weight loss diets among low-income obese patients in João Pessoa, Paraíba State, as well as their guides (people of influential opinion) on following their diets. The 2001 findings were corroborated in 2005, revealing fears of diseases related to obesity and the wish to feel healthier and lighter. Mothers, children and above all spouses were mentioned as diet supporters. It was stressed that will-power is not be enough, but also reflection and building up control skills, in addition to allocating and altering life styles. Concerns related to appearance were not high priority. This information may lead to better diet compliance.

[Beliefs and influences on weight loss diets among low-income obese individuals]. / Crenças e influências sobre dietas de emagrecimento entre obesos de baixa renda.

Obesity has become an epidemic that requires immediate control, mainly among the poor, particularly women and the less educated. The WHO requests and several studies confirm that support is needed for research projects examining psychological and social behavior that hampers compliance with weight loss diets. This paper uses the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) of M. Fishbein (1975) in social psychology, comparing two series of open interviews (conducted in 2001 and 2005) that disclosed positive (advantageous) and negative (harmful) beliefs about weight loss diets among low-income obese patients in João Pessoa, Paraíba State, as well as their guides (people of influential opinion) on following their diets. The 2001 findings were corroborated in 2005, revealing fears of diseases related to obesity and the wish to feel healthier and lighter. Mothers, children and above all spouses were mentioned as diet supporters. It was stressed that will-power is not be enough, but also reflection and building up control skills, in addition to allocating and altering life styles. Concerns related to appearance were not high priority. This information may lead to better diet compliance.

Avaliação da qualidade de vida subjetiva dos idosos: uma comparação entre os residentes em cidades rurais e urbanas / Evaluate of the subjective life quality of aged: comparison between residents in agricultural and urban environments

Este estudo objetivou avaliar a Qualidade de Vida Subjetiva (QVS) de idosos residentes nos meios urbano e rural do Estado da Paraíba. Participaram 284 idosos, 56

moradores do ambiente urbano e 44

This study has as objective to evaluate the Subjective Life Quality (QVS) of aged residents in urban and agricultural environment of the Paraíba state, in Brazil. They had participated 284 aged ones, 56

inhabitants of urban environment and 44

moradores do ambiente rural. Foram utilizados, como instrumentos, a escala WHOQOL-bref e um Questionário Biodemográfico para a caracterização da amostra. Os resultados sugerem que, de modo geral, os idosos possuem um índice de QVS satisfatório (M=3,47; DP=0,43). Comparando-se os grupos em função do gênero e do ambiente em que vivem, não há diferença significativa nos índices de QVS, porém estes índices correlacionam-se direta e significativamente com o nível econômico. Pode-se concluir que as condições de vida dos meios urbano e rural, apesar das diferenças, não influenciam na QVS dos idosos. O que faz reduzir a satisfação com suas condições de vida é a falta de recursos financeiros, sendo os grupos de menor poder aquisitivo dos que demonstraram os menores índices de QVS

inhabitants of agricultural environment. It was used as instruments the WHOQOL-brief scale and a biological and demographic Questionnaire for characterization of the sample. The results suggest that, in general way, the aged ones possess a satisfactory index of QVS (M=3,47; DP=0,43). Comparing the groups in function of the sort and the environment where they live it does not have significant difference in the QVS indices; however these indices are correlated directly and signifi cantly with the economic level. It can be concluded that the conditions of life of the urban and agricultural environment, despite the differences, do not infl uence in the QVS of the aged ones. It makes to reduce the satisfaction with its life conditions is the lack of fi nancial resources, being the groups of minor purchasing power the ones that had demonstrated the lesser indices of QVS