DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FAT BODY AS A FIELD OF STIGMATIZATION AND RESISTANCE

Abstract

The obesity, a complex social issue with profound health implications, interacts with various facets of society, from cultural norms to economic structures. This article explores the sociology of obesity through multiple lenses, examining its social construction, the evaluation of social perceptions, and the stigmatization of obese individuals. By delving into the intricate interaction between science, society, and culture, this research highlights the legitimate conditions for public health actions in combating the development of this epidemic. Using a qualitative approach and deductive method, it investigates the centrality of language in the stigmatization processes associated with obesity, questioning the biomedical and media discourses that sustain practices of symbolic exclusion. The study identifies discursive resistance strategies centered on the reappropriation of the term "gordo" (fat) and the formulation of alternative grammars that affirm bodily plurality. From a technical standpoint, the viability of this research is ensured by access to specialized bibliography, already consolidated in major national and international academic databases, and by the relevance of the qualitative approach in identifying the symbolic elements that permeate institutional and insurgent vocabularies. The results indicate that confronting this scenario requires a deep reconfiguration of the ways of interpreting and intervening on obesity, based on models informed by scientific evidence that recognizes the influence of structural, social, and biological determinants. Keywords: obesity; stigmatization; social construction of obesity; intervention evaluation; public health; obesity prejudice.