[Perception of health for obese adolescents]

This work aims at learning about the perception of health of overweight adolescents participating in the Multidisciplinary Program of Assistance to Overweight Adolescents developed in the Campus of Ribeirão Preto (University of São Paulo). The qualitative approach based on Minayo (1994) was adopted. Data were collected from sentences and compositions done by 17 adolescents, who were participating in the program. The theme of the compositions and sentences were: "What being healthy means?". Data analysis and interpretation was done based on the thematic analysis technique proposed by Bardin (1976). Through this analysis, the following meaning units were identified: "health is beauty", "diet and hygiene" and "practice of sports". Therefore, the study showed that the ideal body image adolescents want for themselves is related to the beauty standards established by the media and to the stereotypes of physical perfection. Another aspect detected by the study was that adolescents are aware of the need of practicing sports and having a balanced diet.