Lived experiences on obesity among selected students of College of Arts and Sciences University of the Philippines Manila

Abstract

Obesity is a multifactorial phenomenon causing serious global concerns due to its associated health problems and societal implications. Existing literature have been using BMI as prime indicator of obesity and thereby silencing how obese individuals perceive and interpret obesity. With this, the study aimed to explore the essence of the lived experiences among obese individuals of College of Arts and Sciences students of the University of the Philippines Manila. Using phenomenological approach through in-depth interviews on purposively drawn ten participants, it has been found that obese individuals accept it as part of their identity. Anchored health risks and stigma affect their perception towards obesity. Anxiety on having health problems such as limited functional-mobility, diabetes and hypertension limits their acceptance. Standards of beauty and disapproval of obese individuals impede them from fully-accepting who they are for they tend to view themselves through labels and social constructs. Even in calls against discrimination, they are vulnerable to yield to societal standards to feel acceptable. Being obese, then, is fairly tolerable as long as one stays healthy.