Abstract

Author(s): Troncoso Pantoja, Claudia1,2; Alarcón Riveros, Mari2; Amaya Placencia, Juan Pablo2; Sotomayor Castro, Mauricio2; Muñoz Roa, Mirna3; Amaya Placencia, Antonio4

Introduction: the social and cultural construction towards the feeding process and the culinary preparation considers a symbolic and Dynamic significance in which it is developed, that fulfills an essential representation in all the age groups, mainly in elder people.

Objective: analyze the symbolic value of food for a group of elder people in a vulnerable district of Gran Concepción, Chile.

Methods: through the qualitative design with a phenomenological interpretative approach, and using individual interviews and discussion groups as strategies to data collection, it is examined the symbolic value of food in 28 vulnerable elders. The field work was conducted by a professional specially trained for this activity. The data have been coded, analyzed and recoded to be interpreted as through content analysis using as a control strategy of data quality the triangulation of researchers and the methods of data recollection.

Results: through life, culinary preparations and the meaning of food consumed acquire some implications conditioned by the cultural and social change that elder people experience, mainly focused on healthcare, which improves the quality and quantity of the eaten food. Besides, the emotional reach that food present allow elders to remember past times, when the feeding process was more natural oriented and at the same time healthier.

Conclusions: The symbolic value of the food that a group of vulnerable elder people present, is focused on the consumption of food that they perceive it as healthy and that, at the same time, they understand it will improve their health, thus their life quality.