Aestheticization of health and muscle dysmorphia: social conceptions of the body

Abstract

Introduction: Obsession with achieving an ideal of beauty similar to what is disseminated by the media leads fitness enthusiasts to use extreme practices in order to attain an aesthetically beautiful body. Objective: To investigate the perceptions and social uses of the body, as well as the motivations of individuals with Muscle Dysmophia (MD) in their practice of strength training. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, interpretive study with a qualitative and quantitative approach was conducted. Results: Individuals with a compulsion to practice strength training view themselves based on meanings and values of body to acquire social acceptance, leading to the contrasts between health and beauty in their self-view. The motivation for the compulsive practice of strength training is one’s obsession for a muscular body image and fear of the loss of muscle mass. Conclusion: There is, in the contemporary society, a hyper-investment in the body given a compulsion for achieving a muscular body, associated to signs and symptoms of DM and to the aestheticization of health.