1 In Perfect Shape Media representations of women’s health in Brazil Everardo Rocha Marina Frid Abstract: This paper suggests an investigation of media representations of women’s health, fitness and wellbeing in Brazil. In this work, we will approach the issues of modern consumption, communication and social identities from an anthropological perspective with the purpose to discuss the role of the media in creating a health ideal characteristic of contemporary culture. A perfect, athletic and desirable body seems to be among the main ideological concerns and daily practices of Brazilian society. In this sense, we observe how media representations suggest the woman’s body to be treated, piece by piece, so that she may conquer a perfect shape. In order to demonstrate this ideal of women’s health as elaborated by mass media, we will analyze selected reports and ads published during a year in Brazilian magazines that target female readers. This may be an interesting path to observe the construction of a feminine model and wellbeing experience that is distinctive of our time. Finally, this study hopes to contribute to the understanding of how media images of health may impact everyday practices of contemporary culture in Brazil. Key words: communication and consumption; gender and media; women’s health; media and wellbeing. 1. Culture, consumption and communication This paper aims to analyze certain representations of Brazilian women’s health, fitness and wellbeing elaborated in media narratives, as part of the debate regarding the connection of certain meanings that support the imaginary and consumption practices experimented in contemporary culture. The means to acquire and maintain an attractive appearance, as well as a healthy and productive life, are an ever greater issue for society, occupying a central place among the images and representations produced by the media. Our social experience seems imbued with media narratives that involve everyone in a permanent process for preserving health and youth. This broad and persistent speech is translated into activities common to urban spaces, such as gym centers, spas, cosmetic surgeries, exams, exercises, diets, and so on. In fact, a perfect, athletic, desirable and forever young body is among the main ideological concerns and everyday practices of our present society. In order to study this phenomenon and, above all, its media representations, the anthropological perspective may contribute to the analysis of certain ideals that cross our society since modernity. Therefore, guided by theories of culture, consumption and social identity, this work proposes an investigation of messages disseminated by the media in search to demonstrate how this powerful “voice” (re)produces an ideal of health, good shape and wellbeing that all of us, one way another, more or less consciously, seem to pursuit. This ideal is formed by representations that are linked to products and services, constructing a particular market of consumer goods for health, fitness and wellbeing. The intention here is to approach health as an important part of media narratives and of the issue of consumption, observing the construction of a feminine model and wellbeing experience as elaborated by mass culture. Therefore, we propose here an overview of ideas presently circulating about women’s health, based on an analysis of press materials where the concept may appear explicitly or implicitly. The media used for gathering evidence were Brazilian magazines that target specifically female readers. The three publications “Claudia”, “Nova” and “Boa Forma” (good shape in English) were collected during a period of twelve months, between June 2011 and May 2012. The choice of these magazines is due, especially, to their broad circulation, since they