Objective:

To review the existing bibliography in Health Sciences on perceptions, representations and practices around the universe of food among rural elderly population.

Methodology:

We have reviewed the publications available in 6 generalist and specialized databases.

Results:

A total of 14 articles were selected that met the inclusion criteria. They repeated categories such as the genesis of choice, the importance of gender, barriers to healthy eating or the symbolic universe of food.

Conclusion:

Despite the obvious socio-cultural character of food processes, the reis little biomedical literature addres sing these issues. The articles included in this work, carried out from qualitative approaches, show, for example, the importance of emotion in the choice or the limitations associated with material and structural issues.