[Nutritional intervention program associated with physical activity: discourse of obese elderly women]

Obesity is a complex nutritional problem with social and psychological dimensions, which affects individuals of all ages. In addition to presenting risk factors for some diseases, obesity may interfere with the quality of life of the elderly. This qualitative study of an exploratory nature investigated the discourse of obese elderly women regarding their participation in a nutritional intervention program associated with physical activity. Eighteen obese elderly women attending Centers of Reference and Citizenship in the city of João Pessoa, state of Paraiba, Brazil were enlisted in the study. Interviews using a series of questions that addressed the core issue pertaining to the scope of the study was the technique used for data collection. The data obtained were analyzed by the collective subject discourse (CSD) technique. The following central ideas emerged from CSD: changes in lifestyle, in eating habits, in health and in self-esteem. The core ideas reflected the value attributed to the aforesaid program for promotion of health of the group of elderly women who participated in the study. It is hoped that this research might elicit further investigation in the area of health of the elderly.