Nasci de novo: sobrevivendo ao estigma da gordura - um estudo de caso sobre obesidade

Abstract

The obesity is defined as a disease characterized by the excessive body fat accumulation. It causes not only a decrease in quality of life and in vitality but also less autonomy and functional capacity on daily chores. Besides, the obese are stigmatized when they not fit in the present-day society's hegemonic standard of beauty. Toe social and affective isolation becomes higher and so the anguish, depression and sensation of abandonment. Toe purpose of this research has been the apprehension and interpretation of sense and meaning that the overweight or obese students give to the body health pra.erices from the Physical Exercise Project Adapted to Obese ( PEFAO) taken place at Instituto de Educação Física e Desportos (IEFD) at the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), in the way of understanding the reasons why these students look for this Projeto de Extensão and stay in it. So, this research is about a socio-anthropological study, in which methodological strategy used has been the articulation between the ethnographic observation (participant), informal and formal interviews (recorded) and photographic documentation. We realize that both the social connection and educational games - seen at the PEFAO-UERJ classes - make the social actors think about their own existence and give a redefined suffering. From the inclusion on the field ofthe Health Promotion and Quality ofLife, organized by a new habitus - at first unknown by the obese - there is a new rite of passage that causes the statement: "1 was bom again". This new birth - symbolic - is settle when a student is able to increase bis vitality and to give value to bis existence as a human being, no matter how bigh bis body fat is. Gradually the body fat stigma gets a new sense and other ways of life's definition are produced collectively and shared by the social group. We conclude that the collective activities taken by individual sharing the sarne stigma can result in significant effects, as the meeting with their partners results in building values and producing senses, out of the desire of Iosing weight. Toe hegemonic standard of beauty broadcasted in the media and published by a large number of health professionals acquire a new meaning when the students understand the value of self-care - not individual - but collective. Their partners' welcome, the connection with their health professionals and the established affection of the social relationsbips contribute to the increase of the force to act. Toe practice of physical activities is no longer mechanical, ordinary or bio scientific, but a body movernent full of senses. Toe relationsbip between nature and culture is expressed in a moving body - not only to "bum calories" - but also to think of a new way of being in a healthy world. ·