Do some doctors just get a kick out of telling you to lose weight?

[Crawdle]

Saw my gp for the first time in years. He commented that I looked very well (told him I have lost 30 pounds with about a stone until I am in the normal bmi range).

Anyway, as we were talking about how to treat the issue I went in for he was looking at his computer when he said “okay and then we really do need to get your weight under control to bring you into the healthy BMi range, it will be extremely beneficial”

Like okay?? I told the gp I’m on track to be in the healthy range by my birthday (end of summer). We even discussed my plans to go on a special trip to watch a sporting event for a few mins!

He said all this whilst his gut (MUCH larger than mine) was pressed against the desk.

AIBU to find this very annoying?!

He just took on a very serious tone when he said it. No “you’re getting there blah blah”

Would you mind pointing to these studies on overweight people please?

Yup infuriates me greatly, I lost 4.5 stone and after my initial MW appt I specifically asked not to be weighed in unless there was a clinical need (our hb is obsessed with weight). Overall I gained a stone - still got half stone lurking 2 years on 😂. Subsequently I’ve had more interactions with different dept and again they have been overall respectful of my request to not weigh unless clinically significant. I am well aware of my weight and track it myself so don’t need someone else wading in as it’s incredibly triggering for me. As long as my BMI is below 30 I’m happy with that 🤷‍♀️

Type 2 diabetes is probably one of the few cases where the relationship is obvious.

Bit how many times, people complains have been brushed off as ‘a weight issue’ when it wasn’t? Just like some many things are also brushed off as ‘anxiety’

Im not denying that loosing weight can be great. But this habit of implying Theres only one cause to a problem and then ignoring anything else that could be done as well isn’t helping anyone.

Well I believe that there’s no evidence telling people ‘to loose weight’ or ‘exercise more’ and sending them on their way isn’t helpful at all.

Thats why GP are (used to? I’ve lost track) send people to WW instead and to get exercise on prescription. Because peoole guidance. Not an off hard comment.

And even then, seeing that 80% who have lost weight regain that weight within a few years (that’s what research says), you can still wonder if it was worth it in the first place…
Or maybe it simply points towards the fact we don’t have such a great handle on what loosing weight means in the LT. Because we still think it’s a personal flaw, no will, greedy etc…

Honestly, no, I don't think he said it to upset you. It's just that he's almost duty bound to re-iterate this sort of thing. I really wouldn't take it personally. You're probably one of many he's seen that day to whom he has said the same thing.

Why on earth would they get a kick out of it?! They're probably as bored by the subject as you are but health advice is their job so just smile nod and leave.

Honestly, yes this is correct. That's actually great. They aren't there to chat to you. They get minutes to see you and chances are you're not going to say something widely relevant. Being overweight and a diabetic isn't a taxing.or unusual thing to manage.

Why is anyone surprised that a healthcare clinician would advise someone to do something that would make their bodies healthier? It’s obvious. It’s not like they’re phoning you weekly to nag you, it’s just benign advice that they have to give you.

If you don’t want to or you already are, just ignore it.

Well I don’t know, I don’t know everyone who have them issues. That’s a rather general statement. You could say that about any health complaint. But also I’m a nurse, not practice nurse but have worked in that environment and I have never brushed off an issue as a weight issue. Do you work in healthcare? Because you can’t really understand how many health conditions could improve greatly by patients reducing their weight. It’s not a habit of just implying, it’s 3/4 years of university training and 2300 hours of placement hours that inform my decisions. Anyone can have an opinion but unless you actually work and have qualified as a Gp/HCP you can never understand why we do what we do. Cervical cancer is caused by the HPV, I’m not going to start investigating other things and telling the patient to lose weight when I do a smear, when the one thing I’m looking for is abnormal cells.

Exactly. You don’t have to take i the advice. But HCP do need to have that conversation so we can tick it off our documentation.

I disagree saying diabetic is not taxing to manage. Information the patient gets is a lot and they will be referred to a management clinic when they are first diagnosed however the HCP cannot make the patient follow the advice/guidelines. Complications can happen and you’ll be surprised at how many diabetics have to have their feet or limbs amputated because they did not follow advice what they were given. A lot if this is due to diet and eating carbs that spike their blood sugar levels, so weight management is serious when your life depends on it, could easily end up having a hypo and end up in a coma.

Well you can easily research this yourself to make an informed decision.

A healthy bmi is between 18.5 - 24.9. So yes you are slightly overweight. I however think BMI is an outdated system that doesn’t factor in muscle mass. You have athletes that are the fittest people are the planet will have a high BMI due to their muscles. I also would have weighed you and not just assumed your weight based on sight. No idea why they did that.

Great. Agreed. So stop wasting appointment time nagging me about weight.

But it's too late by then, surely you understand that?

Obesity can cause many irreversible health problems.

Doctors are there to look after their patients health, not pander to them.

Complicated diabetics are not treated in primary care.

No one is nagging about weight. The PP said that there is plenty of evidence that these interventions “nagging” are beneficial to people and lead to healthier lifestyles and losing weight, hence reduce symptoms of long term health conditions. If you’re fat there is evidence to show you are at an increased chance of having chronic health conditions. These are facts. If you don’t want to do anything about being fat fine but don’t complain when you’re losing your foot or having a heart attack because of it. Take accountability

Of course they are, who do you think refers them and has to complete the aftercare. Yes, they’ll have to go to hospital to get a limb amputated but that’s the case if any health condition where you’re referred.

@LottieLamaz actually not all fat people know what a good diet looks like or how to eat properly. Hence why we have an obesity crisis.

No one is nagging about weight. The PP said that there is plenty of evidence that these interventions “nagging” are beneficial to people and lead to healthier lifestyles and losing weight
a) they do nag.
b) despite there being 'plenty of evidence' the PP couldn't / wouldn't link to it
c) since when is nagging beneficial? It makes people defensive and/or switch off. It puts me off going to the doctor because I know, before I set a foot in the door, that they will start with the comments about being overweight - even if I go in for hearing loss, a verruca, flu jab or some other condition totally unrelated to weight.

This envokes the same kind of emotion in me when I go to the library and say at the counter something along the lines of "I'm just here to return these books". Cue much teeth sucking/head shaking and annoying comments like "we need these back. You've had them a long time". 😡 I know that hen, that's why I'm here!! They're not overdue, library staff always just seem to feel they have to say something, anything at all to exert some kind of power. Thank god for the self scanners but in all reality - our local librarians seem to be annoyed at you borrowing books when surely that's what you are supposed to do. Infuriating.

Because the obesity crisis is just people not knowing how to eat…
Nothing to do with poverty, difficulty to access good food, change in farming production, the fact most food now is at least semi processed, MH issues etc etc…

I wish it was simple as ‘eat better’.
At least, it would mean when people have lost weight, they keep it off. And it would be as easy as handing a cheat sheet to get it all done.

If you say it’s plenty of evidence, then surely you can produce that evidence easily .

Not all slim people know that either. I have 2 children. One very skinny and one slightly chubby. The chubby one eats the healthiest diet and exercise the most 🤷🏻‍♀️

Because we, as a society, have made talking about weight shaming.
Because HCP do use weight as a way to shame and put all the responsibility on the shoulders of patients rather than ALSO helping them with their issues.
And all the while, they have no idea what nutritious food is. And I dint mean theirvown diet. I mean Theyre not trained in that area and have no clue.

It’s a bit like exercise.
If exercise is therapeutic, then it means it’s contra indicated to some people. And yet it’s always touted as THE solution. Regardiess of the risk for the person. It’s left to them to sort out.
Imagine if we were doing that with medicines….