The aim of this study was to categorize and analyze articles in health magazines, how health messages about health is being described. Using a qualitative content analysis the researcher answered the aim by three research questions: What kind of health messages about health factors do the magazines describe? Do the health magazines talk about risk factors for unhealthy behavior? What kind of commercial messages do the magazines provide? The result from the content analysis showed that health magazines presented social support, self-esteem, acceptance, equality and strategies as health factors. They tried to change readers’ perceptions to get a healthy lifestyle. They presented norms, traditions, perspectives, unrealistic body ideals and unhealthy behaviours as risk factors, in relation to consequences.  Also, today's view on healthy ideals was described as a risk factor. The commercial health messages that were analyzed were food products. They were presented with information on how the products were produced, their health benefits for the body and how people would feel when the product was consumed.

Some of the text was difficult to interpret the meaning of. This may cause confusion when assessing if the health messages being presented in the magazines are of a good quality or not.

Keywords: Public health, health messages, health magazines, health factors, risk factors