Obesity Created 18 years ago2005-08-26 01:17:53 UTC by satchmo

The following is a discussion triggered by the complaint filed by a woman against her doctor because he was asking her to lose weight.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/youngmd/32934.html

That's terrible :(.

You should come over here across the pond, heh, we could use people like you.

Please don't give up because of one idiot.

From a news post on the internet:

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Hefty complaint leveled against doc
BY MAKI BECKER
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

No one likes to be told they're fat.
But a New Hampshire woman who was sternly lectured by her doctor about being obese has taken her hurt feelings to a new level - filing an official complaint against him with state health authorities.

The New Hampshire case, while rare, highlights an increasing problem in the fight against obesity - how does a doctor sensitively tell a patient that he or she is overweight?

The patient - whose name was not released - was upset after Dr. Terry Bennett, a Harvard-educated family practitioner in Rochester, N.H., told her she was obese and her weight was contributing to her diabetes and other health problems.

Bennett also told the 5-foot-7, 250-pound woman that she was statistically likely to outlive her also-obese husband and that she would have a hard time finding a new man as a fat woman. "I talked to an obese patient, told her the truth, she was offended," Bennett told NBC's "Today" show yesterday.

Sandy Schaffer, the New York chapter chairwoman of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, said Bennett's tactics appear to have been unnecessarily hurtful and possibly counterproductive.

"What psychology textbook says that humiliation can be motivating?" she asked.

Dr. Richard Sardovsky, associate professor of family practice at SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, said doctors "are under increasing pressure to do more to encourage patients to lose weight." Obesity, he said, "is a serious problem among Americans. But some [doctors] can go a little too far about it."

Dr. Darwin Deen, professor of family and social medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, teaches his medical students that it's a doctor's duty to address obesity. "You can't let them think it's okay and we won't talk about it," he tells his students. "It's just like smoking."

Deen, who co-authored "Nutrition for Life," suggested that doctors avoid discussing weight loss and focus instead on getting patients to eat better and exercise.

To me, the people who get offended by being told the truth and what is in their best interest are just ignorant morons who would rather sit back and bitch rather than getting off their fat asses and doing something about it.

If I'm told by someone that I need to do something, and it's in the best interest of my health, I'll do it as best as possible to try and correct the problem.

So yeah, I really hate it when people get pissed off when someone tells them something which is in THEIR best interests. Honestly, it's just fucking annoying.

It's depressing.

I think doctors should be blunt. They're not meant to be your friends, they're meant to be people trying to keep you alive. I suppose people in Yankland probably consider it differently, having to pay for it directly an' all... at least, I hope it's that, otherwise I'm sure Britain'll be following suit soon.

Hmm, that was stupid.

If you can't handle the facts it's your own problem, you shouldn't get pissed at someone like that for doing their job.
And I agree with Alex, Doctors should be blunt and to the point, they don't have to try and sugar coat things for you so you can handle it.

And as that one guy said, you don't go there for good news.
You rarely go to a Doctor and recieve good news, as what's the point in going there if there is nothing wrong? You go there because there is something wrong with you.

I think the Doctor was completely right to do what he did.

Only in America. Pathetic and depressing.

I'd like to see, how that boy looks like... Man.. 240lbs.. How tall is he? :

The doctor would have been a bad doctor if he wouldn't have told her, someone has too.

And btw, 240lbs , I bet he looks funny

It's the american way.

No one likes to be told they're fat.

people got the body that fits with their mind ...

You rarely go to a Doctor and recieve good news

Wrong : some days ago I went to the vet, and he told me :
_there is a high probability I got a kind of virus totally incurable (in french "streptocoque dor?"),
_there is a high probability I am actually resistant about it (I should "have" it, but am actually 100% healthy )

I don't agree that doctors have to be blunt to get the message across. This is an extremely sensitive matter, needless to say. So I approach the subject with the utmost sensitivity.

However, even with that approach, some people get turned off by it. The following is my typical talk to a patient who I want to eat healthier:

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"I am concerned about his weight. He is a bit too heavy for his height, according to the growth chart."

"And I am worried about him because I know that kids who weigh too much have a much higher chance of getting diabetes in the future, and I don't want him to get diabetes ever."

"Now, I don't want him to lose weight rapidly. It's very dangerous for a growing child to lose weight in a short amount of time."

"Instead, I want him to maintain his weight and just keep on growing taller. This way, he can grow into his height."

"I want him to have three meals a day, with a snack in between meals. It's very important for him not to skip breakfast. And I don't want him eating any less. In fact, skipping meals and eating less is the worst way to have a healthful diet. Instead, I want him to eat until he's full, regardless of how much he eats. However, he has to consume healthful foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and lean meats."

"And instead of drinking soft drinks and juice, I want him to drink only water and milk. I am not limiting the amount of food or drinks, but only asking him to change the type of food that he takes in."

"I am worried about him getting diabetes because I spend many occasions giving parents the bad news when their sons get diagnosed with diabetes for the first time. I always feel terrible, because it's an incurable condition. Once you have diabetes, you're going to have it for the rest of your life."

And I turn to the child:

"Do you know what diabetes is?"

Usually the kid shakes his head.

"Well, it's when your blood sugar becomes too high. And you need to get shots everyday when you have diabetes. Do you like to get shots everyday?"

Usually, unless the kid is extremely disturbed, the answer is nay.

"That's why I don't want you to get diabetes, ever. Because I hate seeing kids getting shots."

I don't agree that doctors have to be blunt to get the message across. This is an extremely sensitive matter, needless to say. So I approach the subject with the utmost sensitivity.

I'm sure you know best, especially with young kids.

"And I am worried about him because I know that kids who weigh too much have a much higher chance of getting diabetes in the future, and I don't want him to get diabetes ever."

How can anyone protest at an attitude like that? It brings tears to the eyes.

I'm sure I read that post this morning just before I left, though. Very strange.

If people are overweight they need to be told. seriously.

and if the threat of diabetes lingers over their head then even more-so.

If they dont take you seriously, or if they find it offensive then its their problem. they're gonna suffer. You shouldnt

its a crazy world, sueing people whom care about your health and point it out to you.

Geez, that's just unrational. People these days eh?

100% agree, but keep in mind there are (few) people who are fat because of a disease, or because it's their "being" (fats family, or sometimes strong people looks more fat that they really are, because of physiological dysfunctions, not enough sports, eating crap etc ...) : everybody cannot be slim neither

What really piss me off is to see on TV superugly fat women complaining about not having a (young and healthy) man at home, saying "men blablabla not brave blabla us women are so weak blabla all those slim girls are just crap and I am the sexiest ever, but nobody understand because they are stupid blabla" : that's so arrogant and selfish ...

It is true that some people are fat because of problems other than gluttony, but as Satchmo pointed out, eating and drinking healthy is one good way to compensate.
From what I understand, the kid's mother wasnt told that her son was fat. She was told what she had to do to prevent him from developing serious health problems.

People who say they want to get thin and then eat Mc donalds would be from a condition i heard from a documentary (Yes i enjoy watching documentarys on weekends!) that its caused because the brain sends a signal to the stomach to stop eating/craving. But the signal never reaches that point. I can't remember it exactly how it all worked. But thats why that happens. Or there lazy arse's who just can't/won't stop because they love thoughs damn foods to much. :

People who ... eat Mc donalds would be from a condition

Called stupidity.

People who ... eat Mc donalds would be from a condition

Called stupidity.

Amen.

Im fat! I weigh a beastly 128 pounds!

How tall and muscly are you, though? Apparently muscle weighs more than fat.

I'm 6'2" and about fourteen and a half stone.

Im about 6 feet I think, the last time I checked I was around 5' 8" but that was yeard ago.
Im a skinny bastard.

That mother should be arrested for neglect and have her child put with good parents. Any mom who doesnt care about her kids health is a horrible parent. Fat people are annoying and stupid like cows. They eat every day at McDonalds and then they sue McDonalds for making them fat. How stupid. Its their fault not the fast food place. If they were smart they wouldnt eat there.

Im quite skinny about 5'2" and 90lbs. But Im glad Im skinny and not some ugly fat kid. And to make things worse fat people always smell and are sweaty, greasy and nasty.

fatty fat fat fat fatty heads.

Im quite skinny about 5'2" and 90lbs

Im 4 ft 11 and i weigh 38Kg. So im very very skinny...

Reminds me of when i used the Underground in london. A fat guy sitting down next to me had such smelly B.O i nearly puke when i got off

Yah, i have no fat, im all muscle.

"McDonalds made me fat, im sueing your asses!"

This one fat guy that I have to sit next to in class smells like he shit himself.

38_98, your almost a miget.

damn americans these days, sueing on a whim. and getting fat while there doing it.

im about 5' 7" and 130lbs. and i look even skinier than that, look at the pic in habbois thread

Im 4 ft 11 and i weigh 38Kg. So im very very skinny...

Hahaha, and short ;).

38_98, your almost a miget.

Almost? Dude, even the newbs to secondary school (Yr 7's) are, on average round about 90% taller then me. Although, i am growing. So when it comes to yr 10 Who's gunna be the midget now!? Not me!!!

I actually don't know your measures (ft, lbs ...), so you won't be able to judge my "fatness" ...

Any1 who is fat here? (no hard feelings)

Fat guys call their self big boned. (lol,yea right)

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But thats not what am I gonna say.
I think that god punished them becuase of their evil/guilty life they lived before their 2nd life(I believe in reancarnation)

:

There is no such thing as big boned...

Except for in my pants...

HAHAHAHAH

Fat people are annoying and stupid like cows.

You're insulting the cows!

There is no such thing as big boned...
Except for in my pants...

That has to be one of the wost jokes i have ever heard.....

Meh, well I have the opposite problem, I have to eat more than I do...
I currently have 2.5% body fat, which is way too little. I'm 5' 10" and weigh 112 pounds.

Perhapes I eat too healthy for my matabolism?

Go chug down some lard barrels, that'll fix you right up
My metabolism is rediculous. I eat a lot, but I dont gain weight. But its also cool because I dont lose weight either, its the perfect balance!

Bah, you and your balance

Im about 140lbs at 5'10" so Im slightly underweight for my height. No matter how much I eat I never gain a pound. Only way that I can put on any weight is to work out and gain some muscle. But I dont that have much muscle either :

But seriously fat people annoy the hell out of me. Like today I was shopping for some clothes and all the shorts were like L, XL, XXL and XXXL. They were all for fat people of different fatness! I was lucky enough to find an M size hidden in there.

L/XL/XXL isn't only for fat people you know but mostly!

I'm about 5'11" and about 145lbs. I think I'm underweight for my height. Oh well. ;o!

But seriously fat people annoy the hell out of me. Like today I was shopping for some clothes and all the shorts were like L, XL, XXL and XXXL. They were all for fat people of different fatness! I was lucky enough to find an M size hidden in there.

I understand what that's like. I spent like a whole day shopping for jeans that fit, because they're either to big around the waist or too short... god dammit. Everyone is so fat, it's unfair for us. :<!

Funny thing is theres no fat guys on this site
At least I dont think there are...

Thats cause you live in a over prospering country that refuses to give anything to the ones who really needs help! They prefer to get more money,more power while they don't need it. What that they are forgeting that in the end if the weak people will fall they'll also fall!!

Actually Elon, the US gives more money to charitible causes than any other nation. Its just these fat people are too lazy and dont want help.

lol xD

The reason there are no fat guys on this site is because we're all geeks. ;o! Geeks = skinny, usually tall nerds.

Ya fat people are all dumb cause the fat gets into their head and kills off all the brain cells.

Kinda like a magic marker...

From the discussion:
"But too many of us have tried and tried and tried until we've bled from our goddamn ears to get thin, often from the time we were kids, very often at our doctors' behests, and all it did was make us fatter and more miserable and less healthy than we were before."

JESUS! Ok, I've heard "its glandular" or "I'm depressed" but never "its all this trying to get thin thats making me fat". Talk about flying in the face of logic!

This is the wave of the future. You can be a visionary, or you can be a sheeple. Your call, doc.

Being fat is good, fat is healthier. We are the revolution...

I see it now: The streets will be ablaze, people will be wheezing in the streets, hundreds lying dead (from heart attacks through trying to riot), all will be in ruin, except the various fast food restraunts they'll use as their base of operations...

They'll storm Washington on the "Million Ton March".