[Representations of the body: with the word one group of adolescents from popular classes]

In view of the great body aesthetic concern demonstrated by a group of adolescents from popular classes, this study had the purpose of getting to know and analyze the social representations of the body. It investigated the qualitative approach carried out with adolescent workers from the Centro Salesiano do Menor, in Vitória, Espírito Santo State. A random sample was selected from a group of 334 individuals. Eight girls and seven boys were approached by means of non-structured interview. From the analysis of their speeches, a categorization was performed and the theory of the Social Representations was used for discussion. The results pointed out that body perception, for boys as well as for girls, are focused on the ideas of proportionality, normality and perfection. Regarding the consequences of not having an ideal body, both stated situations such as: exclusion, illnesses, unhappiness and even death. In-depth knowledge on opinion, thoughts and feelings of the adolescents relative to the body, may contribute to subside interventions in this group, extending significantly the scope of professional performance in the health sector.