The Face of Health . Makeover Culture and New Body Ideals

In Western countries, we can see an increased awareness of health issues, and the importance of taking care of our health. We have also seen the development of certain welfare diseases, for example burnout and other stress-related syndromes. Among the Western middle classes, people are more aware of the importance of eating good and healthy food, exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, health is also a global issue. On the one hand, we have the Western affluent middle classes, who are becoming more aware of the connection between lifestyle and health. On the other hand, we have large proportions of the world’s population that lack even the most rudimentary systems of health care. Life expectancy today is high in many countries. The ageing of the world’s population – in developed and developing countries – is an indication of improved global health. In Japan and France, people can expect to live well over 80 years (WHO statistics, 2009), and in some other countries such as Chile, Jamaica and Lebanon, the life expectancy now reaches over 70 years. However, there is a darker picture to add to this. In many African countries, the life expectancy is only 40 years, and in the US, the discrepancy between the life expectancy of higher and lower socioeconomic groups are as high as 20 years.