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Original poster

Midwives, nurses & health visitors to be the target of a new government anti-obesity campaign

40 replies

KingRolo · 07/04/2009 14:26

Article here

The DoH admits 'it needs to put its own house in order'. Too right. I'm not overweight, nor is dh or dd, and I'm tired of being given healthy eating advice by health visitors who are clearly obese.

What does anyone else think?

OP posts:
edam · 08/04/2009 10:17

My mother's very overweight and had to see her GP about a problem with her heel that may be related. GP was fab (mother not keen on consulting doctors) and sympathised with her, saying 'you and I know it's not easy but it would help your leg if you could manage to lose weight'. If he'd been skinny and hectored her, she'd have been offended and wouldn't have listened.

wendle · 08/04/2009 10:59

Great points about the difficulties faced by those working in our hospitals to try & eat healthily, reduce stress, get enough rest... impossible for many nurses!

And patients... Following a major post-partum haemorrage I needed iron badly. I knew I needed steak & broccoli - the midwife said 'well you won't get that here - might as well go home!!'

I think if a professional is in the business of dispensing healthy eating / living advice, they SHOULD look the part. That doesn't necessarily apply to every doctor, nurse on the ward or midwife.

DisasterEggs · 08/04/2009 18:14

Rolo. I'm sorry but until you know what sort of lives even community health care staff have tolead because of their jobs please don't assume it's that easy. Different role, different stresses. still no breaks. like I said. is difficult to eat salad while driving from one patient to another. also if driving around community all day - even less opportunity to be moving around and active.

Nighbynight · 08/04/2009 19:16

That's a bit cheeky. Hope they don't pick on engineers next, or I'd be in line. After all, software engineers do write all the programs for slimming websites, exercise machines and medical equipment.

Nighbynight · 08/04/2009 19:17

Disaster, I have one word for you .... McDonalds
you can drive through, and pick up a salad, which you can eat driving while it's stuck between your knees. you don't have to look at what you are eating, and its all chopped into nice bite sized pieces and washed.

Original poster
KingRolo · 08/04/2009 19:23

But most jobs are stressful to some degree DisasterEggs and many involve being sedentary for long periods or missing breaks. And no, you can't eat salad while driving but you could eat a salad sandwich, a banana or an apple.

I'm a teacher in a secondary comprehensive but don't blame any addictions or vices I have on the stresses of the job. I used to smoke 20 a day but that was MY fault. It was down to ME to stop and take more care of myself. And I stopped because I thought it was hypocritical to teach the kids about healthy living in PSHCE and then bugger off for a fag straight after!

OP posts:
tengreenbottles · 08/04/2009 19:31

i shall be ok because i have now hit the overweight part of the bmi scale as opposed to obese ,built for comfort not speed me

Cazzaben · 08/04/2009 22:13

Well I'm a student (just about to begin my course to study midwifery) so does that mean being a size 14/16 I would be classed as a hypocrite??? I try my best to lose weight(currently on weight watchers) But i have always struggled (as has my sister and mum and Nan) with my weight. I dont sit around all day nor do I eat take-away every night...

I think I will make a great midwife and I think it makes no difference to the care I will be providing if I'm slightly bigger than average... A very ridiculous comment if you ask me... I hope I never bump into someone who refuses my care coz im a size 14/16......

MumOeufMonsters · 08/04/2009 22:18

you can eat really healthily and still be overweight. There was a woman on supersize vs superskinny who only ate homemade foods and fruit salads etc it was her portion sizes that were making her pile the weight on

Joe1977 · 08/04/2009 22:20

This reminds me of one of my Dads favourite sayings:-

'Do as I say, and not as I do'

Doesn't add anything to the discussion, but thought I'd mention it anyway.

Sidge · 08/04/2009 22:57

Well I'm a school nurse and if the guvmint think they can tell me to stop eating crisps they can sod off.

I'm bloody good at my job and know a lot about nutrition and related health issues. I would hope that my knowledge, qualifications, experience and professionalism count more than my dress size

brettgirl2 · 09/04/2009 08:48

You could be apparently thin but actually smoke 40 a day, down a bottle of wine and have a coke habit.

FGS we need to accept that HCPs are PEOPLE and therefore have their own issues/difficulties with conforming to the ideal.

Cazzaben · 09/04/2009 12:36

Well said Brettgirl!!! I agree!!
Being healthy is not just about being of an acceptable size in society.

Gemzooks · 09/04/2009 21:17

this is ridiculous. TBH if you're ill or just given birth, the last thing you would want is some fashionably skinny nurse telling you what to eat. Nurses should be more matronly and motherly, not bloody posh spice.

JeanPoole · 11/04/2009 15:06

most nurses probaably have to eat on the go.
yes alot of them are over weight, but you have to wonder why that is?

probably because to a bloddy awful job with no status pay recognicion horrible hours and generally shit.

give them a rise, not a lecture

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