It's not all about wealth and beauty

Changing perceptions of fatness among Makola market women of Accra, Ghana

Dados Bibliográficos

ID20154074
AutoresCharlotte Wrigley‐asante (0000-0002-7538-7452, Geography and Resource Development University of Ghana Ghana, West Africa, autor correspondente), Samuel Agyei‐mensah (0000-0002-6418-393X, Geography and Resource Development University of Ghana Ghana, West Africa), Faustina Adomaa Obeng (Geography and Resource Development University of Ghana Ghana, West Africa)
Ano2017
Volume38
Fascículo3
Páginas414-428
Data de publicação2017-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoSingapore Journal of Tropical Geography (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0129-7619 • E-ISSN: 1467-9493
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/sjtg.12200
OpenAlexW2622177113
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas20

Within the African context, body shape preferences may be influenced by culture without necessarily taking into consideration health implications. Thus, fatness is culturally associated with beauty, prosperity, and prestige while thinness is perceived as a sign of ill‐health or poverty. Using a cross section of Makola market women, who traditionally are perceived as fat and affluent, our findings revealed that the perception of fatness as a sign of richness and beauty is changing due to women's access to knowledge and information on the health implications of fatness. The challenge for these women however, is adhering to healthy lifestyles despite living sedentary lives in the market place which is a conducive environment for one to become fat. We recommend that qualified professionals should encourage these women through continuous programmes on regenerative health and nutrition aimed at healthy lifestyle behaviour at the market places. The social groups that women belong to should be targeted, trained and equipped with the right information on healthy living so that they can disseminate this information to other members of their networks

Beauty · Context (archaeology) · Economic growth · Economics · Geography · Perception · Political science · Poverty · Prestige · Prosperity · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Medicine · Obesity and Health Practices · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Social Psychology · Gerontology