OBESITY: THE ONGOING BATTLE
One thing many people get into spats over is obesity or being even just overweight.
Many people in the mainstream and even the media make fun of those who are weight-challenged to the point of vulgarity even. Yes, and sadly enough even medical professionals have at times in public or on-line made crude and inexcusable comments towards the obese population.
The word “obese” is not the problem. I feel that there could be other terms for many things used all around, but that is just my pet peeve. It is true that America has an ever-increasing problem with obesity. Obesity in and of itself is a health concern to so many people who struggle with this every day.
But, what so many may not realize is that targeting people who are heavyset has so many destructive implications.
It is understandable that every physician or health practitioner has the obligation to make sure their patient does whatever possible to maintain or to improve upon their health. This is also true of those who have weight issues. Mentioning a patient’s weight challenge to them in an appropriate and serious manner without degradation is a must and ok so long as it is not overdone. But, too many times there are those who only see the weight and not the person inside. This even happens in doctor’s offices.
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard from others, read, or even personally experienced the blame of a medical problem on weight without any further evaluation. It is already humiliating enough to be uncomfortable with oneself, than to be scrutinized or dismissed by others…especially when needing help.This can lead to depression. This can lead to frustration. This can lead to the inevitable reversal of someone who has an emotional eating problem to perhaps cause further damage. It could also lead up to a patient deciding not to go to the doctor anymore for fear that they will be dismissed, brushed off, or merely because they are too ashamed to show their face.
It happens in society too. People who are weight-challenged are more likely to be teased or discriminated against in public. Some may develop social anxiety, depression, and general terror or fear of going out of the house if they feel that badly about themselves or are afraid of how others will see them. Another possibility is the extreme result in an obese individual resorting to such behaviors as binging, purging, and strict calorie reduction.
I know…I have done all three…
Patients can be hurt by drs (physically and emotionally) just as much as they can be helped and your post speaks to that. I have personal experience with degrading remarks about my weight and it being the cause of my illness. Also… what drs and many people don’t seem to understand is that weight gain, while commonly thought to result from over-eating of the wrong foods…it can also be a result of the toxic world we live in. I eat very healthy but have severe mercury toxicity and other toxicity leading to my weight challenges.