Estratégias de governamentalidade no âmbito da promoção da saúde: o controle do peso corporal como estilo de vida saudável

Abstract

The concern regarding the over-weight and obesity is recent. Among the factors that justify the incorporation of this trend into the public health problems we have: the phenomenon of nutrition transition, the fact that obesity is seen as a chronic non transmissible disease and the complexity involved in the etiology of this disease. However, the format by how the discourse of health promotion , more specifically, the policies regarding healthy food and physical activity that are being incorporated by the society, are generating practices each time more totalitarians about healthy life styles generating anguish and excess of control over people s behavior. Therefore, based at the epistemological reference, theory and methodology of the constructionist branch of the Discursive Psychology, this research aims to understand in what measure the discourse about obesity prevention and Healthy life style promotions act as Governmentality strategies , controlling the behavior of people. This study also aims (1) understand the relationship between embodiment and subjectivity; (2) understand the resonance of the directives on the policy of health promotion have in the day-to-day practices and care with the body weight and (3) understand the main tensions between (acceptance) and resistance to the conventional healthy body. To put in context the discourse that emphasize and sustain the excess of weight as a problem of public health, were used official documents from the World Health Organization (OMS) and Ministry of Health (MS) and to learn the resonance of such policies of obesity prevention and physical activity and Healthy food promotions it was developed 10 semi-structured interviews, recorded in Audio (with free consent from the participants). The interviews were integrally transcribed and analyzed in accordance to thematic axis that were structured from our goals and that compose the dialogic maps. Our empiric material indicated towards more to the acceptance of be healthy , emphasizing physical exercises and healthy food adaption. Nevertheless, in some interviews, although only a few, the indicated the possibility of resistance and to the reflection of our relations with our bodies and with ourselves, destabilizing truths that today seemed solid, for instance, that the healthy body is a thin one