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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

overweight doctors?

168 replies

trixie123 · 01/03/2011 21:10

AIBU to think the junior dr on BBC3's fly on the wall programme would be more effective, especially on his placement as an emergency dr if he could move around at speed without huffing and puffing and dripping sweat everywhere? And no I don't know if he has a condition which causes him to be overweight but as a general point, should they perhaps be "modelling" good health a little more?

OP posts:
GotArt · 02/03/2011 05:16

Just because someone is thin, healthy and athletic looking, doesn't mean they don't struggle with weight. I am very prone to putting it on, have been very big and every day I struggle not to shove another cookie into me or go back for seconds.

Mavis; if you are referring to the reality show that was being discussed at the beginning of this thread, just remember, its a tv show, edited. If she didn't know WTF she was doing, she wouldn't be doing it, and if she was, than I would question her superior.

MrsVidic · 02/03/2011 07:12

It doesn't bother me to be honest on the general things.

But I doubt if I'm being completely open that if a obese midwife/ doctor/ health visitor tried to advise me on excersize or diet I'd take them seriously.

gorionine · 02/03/2011 07:28

I am going to go against the grain her but I do agree with you OP. I am overweight myself and really feel like laughing when the nurse at my GP's clinic gives me advice on healthy lifestyle and weight loss as she is twice my size. She is a lovely woman and I really value her and trust her for smear tests and anything more medical but the "keep a healthy weight" thing would probably come out better from someone else.

ManateeEquineOhara · 02/03/2011 07:34

Dr's are human, some humans are bigger than others. It doesn't necessarily correlate with health, unfortunately they work in a profession which is involved in the perpetuating of the bad science that overweight = always ill health. (Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor write some v. informative articles on this).

Tokyotwist · 02/03/2011 07:41

I have wondered in the past how effective, someone who is seriously overweight would be in providing advice to an obese patient.
But then perhaps they would be very effective having faced the same or similar issues.

Really the argument is a silly one. We don't have enough Drs and nurses as it is. And anyway, wouldn't this be discrimination?

Mummy2Bookie · 02/03/2011 07:42

As long as he or she does a good job and does not fall on top of me and squash me, then all is okay with me Smile

clinkers · 02/03/2011 07:45

I am not obese but am overweight. I have seen hundreds of clients and in my experience they are more critical of young slim Dietitians. I have has many comments about them and "what would they know". Notwithstanding the 4 years they trained lol. I must say having some insight into the struggles to lose or maintain weight does help me understand clients/patients. I also feel I am less intimidating.

I once had a woman come into my clinic room and sigh gratefully "Im so glad you arent some skinny young one" "If I'd, walked in here and you were some young, glam young bit, I would have walked right out".

That being said, ive just bought a treadmill lol
Now Im changing my name as I didnt realise clinkers has a different meaning to what it means to me.

ivykaty44 · 02/03/2011 07:52

'd rather discuss them with a person who is 'been there, done that and got the t-shirt'

I agree with this - but I am going to take seriously the slim person who eats the diet they are recommending for me, they are doing what they preach

musksticks · 02/03/2011 07:54

We certainly dot preach, we counsel.
And as for slimmer people eating the diet they recommend....lol

My friend (very slim ) used to keep biscuits under the keyboard in front of her on her desk and eat them in between seeing clients. lol

ledkr · 02/03/2011 08:31

if the Drs long hrs and lack of access to healthy food is the problem then how come every single dr isnt a fatty?
I used to work in a secure psychiatric unit,my dh used to get very worried when i was on shift with the 2 obese members of staff as he said they would never get to me quickly if i was attacked,i also spent my entire shift running around after the clients and doing all the donkey work as they just didnt have the energy,i remember one asked for a towell which you had to go upstairs to get,the big staff memeber looked as if they were going to burst into tears.Dh is a copper and they have to pass a fitness test to join,he says the offices are over staffed with obese cops who are too big to go out on the beat or have obese related conditions.

DizzyKipper · 02/03/2011 08:45

Piggyleroux it occurs to me that doing something as stressful as oncoloy might push some one to needing stress-reliefing devices such as cigarettes.

teenyanne · 02/03/2011 09:09

I think the problem is judging a book by it's cover. HCP's are human beings (at least I like to think I am!) and have the same challenges / conditions as the rest of the population. I am an overweight nurse, but have found it nearly impossible to lose weight (didn't lose weight for close to 6 weeks on exclusive meal replacement diet of 500 kCal /day) and none of my patients would have known that I was even trying to lose weight, because I was there to look after them, not discuss my medical problems with them. I like to think that my practice is good enough without them judging my weight, and that as long as I do a good job safely, then weight really shouldn't matter. And if they thought it was a problem that much, then they obviously don't need a nurse at all.

And if you don't want to see a dr or other hcp who is overweight, then that's fine, just wait on the ridiculously long waiting list to see one that looks like how you think an hcp should!

larry5 · 02/03/2011 09:37

I am diabetic and have been for six years. When I moved here 4 years ago my GP practice had doctors who specialised and the one who dealt with diabetic patients was a very slim elderly man who told me he liked going out for 30 minute runs every morning before work. I felt that although he practiced what he preached he was probably not ideal to see diabetics because the majority of type II diabetics are overweight and have not necessarily been the most active.

I left the consulting room feeling rather down and unsupported as I had been trying very hard to lose weight and exercise but felt put down. I now see my own GP who is slim but very supportive and helpful.

Casserole · 02/03/2011 09:56

I always breathe a sigh of relief when I see a HCP who isn't in peak physical fitness. Makes me feel like I might get a real, human discussion with them.

And then I give thanks that I live in a country where I get access to these wonderful, highly trained people for FREE.

What they eat for lunch after I've gone is none of my fucking business.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 02/03/2011 10:05

I haven't seen any of the series, but agree with casseroles last two paragraphs.
Once you've had to decided whether to take your DD or self to the doctor or buy some dinner, it makes you really appreciate the NHS.

gorionine · 02/03/2011 10:23

I agree with casserole as well , just not when the same people comment on my weight being unhealthy.

Casserole · 02/03/2011 10:38

Why not? It's a fact, they've got a responsibility to point it out to you if they're in charge of your care and your weight is a factor. At least they can empathise about the many and varied causes of being overweight, and the eternal struggle to get on top of it. I'd personally rather that than someone who's never struggled.

Of course, if you've gone in with tonsilitis they can feck right off Grin

gorionine · 02/03/2011 10:43

I have never gone to see the nurse because of weight problems but every time without a fail I am reminded that I should exercise more and eat less. I do agree with the advice but when it was not asked for and comes from someone twice my size I really cannot take it seriously. It's "do what I say not what I do".

Would be totally different if I went there for weight/fitness advice as we could sort of "compare notes" in actual facts it is NOT what is happening.

MooMooFarm · 02/03/2011 10:44

haven't read the whole thread, but watched the programme last night and wondered this myself.

My issue specifically was that the doctor in q was part of the emergency crash team. He was shown on two or three occasions having to 'run' to wherever in the hospital somebody had gone into cardiac arrest. The rest of the team appeared to be waiting for him to get there both times for them to be able to start treatment. You couldn't help but notice each time he was struggling to run very quickly, and would be very out of breath once he'd got to the emergency.

Surely that has an impact if time is of the essence?

Becaroooo · 02/03/2011 10:47

As long as it doesnt interfere with their ability to so their job I have no problem..its their life!

HOWEVER, being told at my 6 week post natal check that I needed to "lose the baby weight" by a woman GP who was at least a size 22 did not impress me!!!! Grin

Pot? Kettle? Black????

GwendolineMaryLacey · 02/03/2011 11:10

But I doubt if I'm being completely open that if a obese midwife/ doctor/ health visitor tried to advise me on excersize or diet I'd take them seriously

That's pure stupidity. You'd know what they were saying made sense and yet you'd disregard it because they were overweight? If you don't want to take the word of someone who has had years of medical training just because of what they eat for dinner, then you might as well go to the local wise woman and leave the appointments for those of us who do want to listen to them.

mousymouse · 02/03/2011 11:43

I was told by an overweight doctor (during a routine medical) that I should really loose a pound or two. she giggled and rolled her eyes saying 'I know I know, but I have to tell you...'

Scaredycat3000 · 02/03/2011 12:10

I agree with the OP, she is talking about HCP being extremely overweight, not that they should be at the peak of their physical fitness. To be as over weight as the example the OP gives you have got to seriously over eat, not just a bit to much. He can't do his job well if he can't do normal tasks due to his bulk.

kiddie · 02/03/2011 12:14

I'm glad to see they are only human too.
Though I totally agree with you and in an ideal world I would be shot for being so overweight myself.

Becaroooo · 02/03/2011 12:40

Thing is, being a HCP in a hospital setting is not exactly a healthy way of life is it?

Shifts, long working hours, bucket loads of stress....means no exercise, lots of crappy food etc etc

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