Study title

A cultural norm restricts judging people by appearance ('beauty comes from within'). At the same time the role of appearance as a motivator for physical activity and healthy diet, and for how we view ourselves and others seems under-communicated. For successful health promotion it is thus important to clarify the relationship between health and appearance, which views on the body are used and passed on in different contexts, and who is allowed to participate in and express these views. The main hypothesis is that appearance means more for health-related choices than what is said out loud. We will study what types of appearances are portrayed and implicit in health promotion, marketing, advertising, and in other people's gaze. Researchers representing various disciplines and institutions experienced in research on consumption, clothes, food, exercise and the body in Norway and Sweden are included. The project has a theoretical foundation in phenomenological and constructionist views on the body and body-related consumption. Common research questions are applied to different empirical data. The project has two modules with sub-areas: 1. Beauty and health (Beautiful youth, Gender and beauty, Ways to beauty) and 2. The judging gaze (Dressed for exercise, The body as object and subject, The experience of the gaze of the other). Eleven case studies will be included. Some of the cases include new empirical data (including interviews with men and women, discourse analysis of magazines, participant observation and content analysis of spa) and some cases are based on new use of existing projects at the three participating institutions (SIFO; Institute of Nursing and Health Science, UIO; Center for Consumer Science, Goteborg University). We plan collaborative publications across institutions, disciplines and topics. The project will provide knowledge that is important for well-being and counteracting potential unwanted effects of marketing and health promotion.