By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: The Elephant in the Room: Discussing Obesity with the Doctor
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > The Elephant in the Room: Discussing Obesity with the Doctor
Public Health

The Elephant in the Room: Discussing Obesity with the Doctor

DavidEWilliams
DavidEWilliams
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

From the Wall Street Journal (Doctors Should Discuss Obesity With Patients):

Patients told by their physicians they were overweight or obese were more likely to acknowledge a weight problem and try to do something about it, a new study shows.

Researchers… found that getting an honest assessment from a physician appeared to be a key factor in whether or not study participants considered themselves overweight.

According to the article, people in general have gotten fatter over the years, so a patient may not see himself or herself as obese even if they are. If the doctor doesn’t bring it up they may not think there’s a medical issue. The authors think physicians should tell patients they’re overweight or obese, even if that seems self-evident. I have a few thoughts on this:

More Read

medical marijuana facts
The Medical Marijuana Movement Deconstructed
How the Healthcare Industry Has Reduced Aggravation For Patients
Physicians Surveyed Gloomy About Healthcare Reform
Eliminating Substance Abuse Would Save the Economy $740 Billion a Year
Telling Healthcare Stories via Multiple Media
  • I definitely understand the point that fat is the new normal. Growing up in suburban Washington, DC I remember the occasional “fat kid” who got teased in school. If I look around a schoolyard now there are many who fit that description. Hopefully they’re not getting teased about it.
  • I didn’t pay the $30 to read the original article, so I don’t know how the authors caveated their findings. However, I wonder how reliable patients are in reporting whether their physician discussed their weight with them. It wouldn’t shock me if a good number of people who said doctors didn’t discuss their weight problem actually had it wrong, and for whatever reason tuned it out.
  • Some commenters to the online article point out that almost no one is able to lose weight and keep it off, and that therefore it’s not surprising that doctors don’t bring things up that patients can’t do much about. There aren’t really good drug treatments for obesity and surgery is a fairly extreme step, so maybe physicians are spending their time discussing things that can make more of an impact. Furthermore, doctors may not know how to counsel about weight loss

Doctors probably should talk more about weight loss with patients, but if we really want physicians to intervene it’s probably best to put some new tools in their hands that they’re comfortable using. I don’t see a lot of new drugs on the horizon, and most of today’s surgical procedures are expensive and risky. I’d love to see some innovation from device companies in this area to develop effective, low risk approaches that can be used by a broader spectrum of patients.

TAGGED:obesitypublic health
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Helen M. Simpson Rehabilitation Hospital
Hospital AdministrationMedical InnovationsPublic HealthTechnology

IT Helps Smooth Transitions of Care

June 24, 2014
price transparency in healthcare
BusinessFinancePolicy & LawPublic Health

Seeing Through the Patient CARE Act: Why Transparency Won’t Fix Our System

March 31, 2015
Image
Medical EducationMedical EthicsPublic Health

The Challenges of Treating Homeless Patients

May 21, 2013
Eurobesity
Global Healthcare

European Obesity Market on Track to Show Drug, Device Gains

October 19, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?