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This is just . . . weird
Doctor in trouble for calling woman obese.
The story doesn't say exactly how he phrased what he said to her. I gotta think there is more to the story here.
It makes me think of that term Berke Breathed coined: "Offensensitivity."
The story doesn't say exactly how he phrased what he said to her. I gotta think there is more to the story here.
It makes me think of that term Berke Breathed coined: "Offensensitivity."
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Several years ago, I was overweight. I kind of was aware of it, but I wasn't paying much attention. I was carrying much too much weight for my height, genetics, and frame. I was 21 and was going to the doctor because I had high blood pressure. At 21, I shouldn't have had high blood pressure. There were no real causes for my blood pressure to be high. The doctor asked me to reduce my salt, change my birth control pills, etc. all of which I did, and still saw no results. He said that the problem might be weight related, but he didn't push it. I rather ignored him on that front. I tried the other solutions and didn't have any good results in reducing my blood pressure.
Not long after that, I independently decided I should (and could) lose weight. After about 2 years of very hard work, careful eating and consistant exercise, I had lost about 60 lbs and was much healthier. Guess what else was better? Of course, my blood pressure. It was well within the normal range for someone in her early 20s with no other health conditions.
So even though I didn't go to the doctor to talk about weight, it really was the source of my problem. It was well within the scope of his professional obligations to talk with me about it. It impacted many areas of my life and health, not just my blood pressure.
I guess that the doctor featured in the story above may not have had the best delivery (some doctors aren't good at that sort of thing, sadly), but may have been doing his best as a health care professional to help his patient increase her health levels and quality of life.
Was he right to talk with her about it? Or should have have addressed her other health concerns without talking about the weight, since she didn't bring it up, even though it may have impacted the other problems she was having? It's really hard to say what the 'right' answer is in this case.
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no subject
Although I am certainly not as strict about the diet now as I was when I was losing the weight, I am careful about my consumption, and I do try to stick with healthy, low-fat, nutritious food options (while still enjoying the occasional ice cream cone).
I've also kept my activity level up. I don't work out 5 days week for an hour or more each day like I did when in the weight-loss cycle, but I do get moving for about 45 min 3 days a week or more.
It was something I had to decide was really important to me and commit to it. When I was actually actively losing weight, it was really my full-time hobby outside of work. Now that I am just maintaining, it was just a matter of incorporating healthy choices and activity into my day to day life.
Thanks for asking. :)
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Oh, absolutely he should have talked to her about it! He would be sadly remiss in his duty if he didn't - but his approach was reprehensible, and he lost any hope of actually helping his patient when he chose his unkind and unprofessional words.
My issue with the medical community in terms of obesity has never been one of "don't you dare tell me I'm fat." I KNOW I'm fat - hello! My issue stems from actually NOT treating symptoms until the patient loses weight. Some people can and do - others can't and don't. Many of us are living healthily, but are stuck with a certain setpoint to which our bodies always return once we've finished starving them. Healthy eating habits and regular exercise often result in - guess what? A healthy fat person.
When a physician refuses to address a set of symptoms until the patient loses weight, he or she is not being wholly realistic. If it was merely a matter of moral character, many of us would be pencil thin.
If Doctor Not-so-nice (I don't recall his name) REALLY feels that losing a great deal of body weight is as simple as a moral character change, perhaps he can start by changing his OWN moral character. He could begin by taking the class the board suggested he take that will teach him to talk to his patients at a higher level of skill. Learning to not talk like jerk must be at least as easy as dropping 100 pounds then living the rest of one's life on a limited caloric intake.