To expect fat nurses to have some insight?.

[Vikingess]

Just had a routine health check today at my GP surgery. Two nurses - both considerably overweight - dispensing advice on diet. I
am not overweight -AIBU to expect health professionals to demonstrate the the standards they recommended or at least admit to falling short.

They just have to dispense the theory not follow it. Same as you can ignore it too.

A healthy lifestyle is something you can have knowledge about even if you don’t put it into practice.

Even if a nurse is a healthy weight, they may not be living a healthy lifestyle.

Take their advice on board or don't, they won’t really care. They’ve done their job by informing you so they’ll get paid.

So how was it delivered?

I remember we had a pe teacher would due to school rules, would make every one take off their jewellery before - but she had loads on! But then so do many athletes I guess.

Sometimes I feel like I'm surrounded by doctors! Family members, neighbors...

Guess what? Some are overweight, a few smoke, quite a few drink more than the recommended amount and a couple use recreational drugs on occasion.

Should they not give you good health advice because they don't always "lead by example"?

Diet advice isn't just based on weight.

You can be "normal" weight or underweight, and have a crap diet.

What diet advice did they actually give you OP? What has offended you about it?

If you're not overweight, I'd imagine it was the stock advice of try to eat plenty of veg and fibre. That's just based on "guidelines" which they have to repeat to people.

Here you are body shaming these highly intelligent women. You don’t necessarily know more about healthy eating than the nurses just because you weigh less. They deserve respect while doing their job.

Were they offering you advice about your weight? If so, Was the advice good?

There are loads of very fat nursed and midwives (and lots seem to smoke).

Staggering. I am a fatty boom boom GP. I also have an additional qualification in obesity and diabetes. I am especially well educated and experienced in these fields.
I cant/don't follow the advice I dispense. I guess best I just throw the towel in if I'm not to be taken seriously.
There are many reasons I'm obese ...childhood abuse, DA, menopause, long covid. But you know us fatties were all just sooooo stupid for being fat. It's all just so easy isn't it.

Did the OP need the ‘health advice’ as she isn’t overweight? She probably knows exactly how to lead a healthy life. I too would have found it patronising.

They are qualified to give the right advice even though they obviously weren’t able to follow it themselves

Exactly. Nurses are not immune to the difficulties lots of people face with weight problems. Why would they be? One of the causes is stress - I imagine their job is pretty stressful.

Nope, I mentioned it and asked @Vikingess to clarify. I reckon it might just be general basic healthy eating nutritional advice they are required to give to everyone as opposed to telling her to eat less.

And btw lots of thin people can be unhealthy. I was consuming crazy amounts of sugary foods for over a decade while being a size 6-8.

An old school friend I had who is super tall, thin and a vegetarian lives on air and sweets. Or she did anyway last time I saw her. She barely eats fruit and veg.

Lol

It's literally their job

Being a healthy weight doesn’t necessarily mean you’re eating a healthy diet or living a healthy lifestyle.

Especially when they're sat on a chair, in a small room at a GP surgery from 7am - 7pm.

YABU @Vikingess

You know naff all about their lives. Of course they have to advocate good health, but when was the last time your head was up a randoms fanny removing a coil?

The stress and long days alone would have me piling weight on. Also the overweight nurses I see are a similar age to me. Pushing 50, a couple or more kids, menopause etc.

If was was a humongous 20 year old, you might have a case.

You wanted them to admit to falling short? Really?

Have you seen the recent advert, about how the mental health of people working in healthcare can be worse than that of their patients?

These are people dealing with death, with serious illness, with people getting bad news - every day of their working life. Maybe, just maybe, it's not surprising that some of them use food in a way that's less than ideal.

They weren't judging you. They were doing their job. You on the other hand...

They are people with their own lives and their own issues, doing a job that is all about helping other people. What do you do that is so great you can look down on some of the most important people in the workforce?

YABU to expect only those who are perfect pinnacles of health should be healthcare professionals. We have enough issues with the shortage of nurses.

I work in the NHS. I'm far from perfect. In these circumstances I think the phrase best used would be "Perhaps a private service might suit you better?".

😡

Is it just overweight nurses you object to, or would an overweight doctor also be deemed to be less competent with regard to their profession and training?
Many professions operate on a 'do what I say not what I do' basis, not just nurses.
The advice they were giving was presumably what they were trained and fully professionally qualified to deliver, whether they followed it themselves is a separate issue.
If you are not overweight, did you question why you were receiving dietary advice? Or was the advice more about healthy living and less about weight (low weight does not necessarily equal healthy living, as pps have pointed out).

Hear hear @NeverEnoughPants it’s relentless on here today with comments on fat people.

It’s especially cruel this thread as I know in my life I’ve watched friends who are nurses pile on the weight largely due to the nature of the work they’re doing - long shifts, under staffing and work stress which makes it harder for them to exercise and eat healthier. Not impossible I know but still it does play a significant part. My friend lost 4 stone within a year once she took a break from nursing.

People working hard not particularly well paid jobs are doing their best trying to issue health advice and care give and others are judging them on their weight.

A good nurse needs two main qualities: intelligence and compassion. Neither of these have any bearing on physical appearance.

If you want all nurses to be fit and toned with a balanced diet, maybe lobby the government to improve their wages and working conditions so that a healthy lifestyle is more attainable.

YABU.

Diet advice from the NHS isn't just about weight.

For example, I am a nurse and have to advise people to try to eat at least 30g of fibre:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/