Nutrition and self-care practices of patients with chronic Metabolic Syndrome: a qualitative study

Objective: To analyze subjective aspects of eating habits and self-care of patients living with chronic symptoms linked to metabolic syndrome. Methods: A clinical and qualitative (exploratory, non-experimental) study, conducted with an intentionally small sample of nine patients in treatment at an outpatient endocrinology clinic of a university hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The sample was closed when data saturation occurred. The in-depth interviews were conducted with a psychodynamic orientation toward the conduct of dialogues. The categorization of the discourse was developed through content analysis. The psychodynamic approach provided a theoretical reference complemented by social anthropology. Results: Eating habits have been revealed as mediators of autonomy and as a source of vulnerability in the process of coping with chronic illness. Reception and understanding of the psychological and cultural aspects of food are needed in treatment faced with the difficulty of establishing changes in eating behavior. Conclusion: This is a contribution of an interdisciplinary approach that values listening subjectivity during treatment.