Symbolic Interactionism

Healthcare sociological theory

Symbolic interaction theory: Healthcare (Obesity prevention)

Symbolic interaction theory "focuses attention on the way that people interact through symbols: words, gestures, rules, and roles" (Plunkett n.d.). The definition of health is an important component of the cultural language in which we operate. Although our definition of health sometimes seems self-evident, like something unchanging and unwavering across the eras, it is a culturally-constructed notion. This can be seen in how the definition of acceptable body weight that has shifted and changed and the symbolic importance given to weight. Today, being overweight is not simply considered a problem of aesthetics but also a health problem with social consequences. Being overweight is seen as 'costing' the health system -- and thus taxpayer's money -- as well as taxing one's heart.

"Extrapolating from self-reported and measured data collected over time, it is estimated that the rate of obesity among...
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