Doctors Discussing Weight Loss With Patients

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Here is an interesting article about the pros and cons from a doctor's point of view about discussing a patient's weight.

http://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2016/10/14/why-stopped-telling-patients-lose-weight

[summerset 5,265]

Interesting article.

We need to get serious and stop pretending that telling patients to lose weight without giving them the tools to do so is an acceptable intervention.

Kushner bemoaned the traditional “eat less, move more” style of counseling as overly simplistic and unproductive. “I think it causes a sense of futility,” he said. “It causes a sense of frustration. It causes shame. It leads to hopelessness in the patient, because they’re asking for help and the person they're asking for help says, ‘Do the same thing you’ve been doing for 10 years, just try harder.’ That’s not an answer. After a while, the patient stops bringing it up at all.”

This.

[Babbs 14,681]

In my opinion, I think the ONLY person who should bring up our weight problem is a doctor, because they are going about it from strictly a medical standpoint. Most people's motives to bring up a loved ones weight are not always pure or strictly out of concern for their health. It's an MD's job and Hyppocratic Oath to "First do no harm", and ignoring a health issue like obesity can potentially cause the patient harm. If someone can't handle open, honest medical advice from their doctor, well they've got much deeper problems than just thier weight.

I smoked for 23 years before I quit right before my surgery. You don't think every single time I went into the doctor, I didn't hear "You really need to quit smoking"? But I still went to the doctor, even when I hadn't quit after 25 years, ready to take the next scolding about it. It's their job.

[summerset 5,265]

It's an MD's job and Hyppocratic Oath to "First do no harm", and ignoring a health issue like obesity can potentially cause the patient harm.

Yes it is, and obviously MDs have noticed that they might be causing harm by providing that kind of counseling they're doing right now.

Did you even read the whole article?

[Babbs 14,681]

It's an MD's job and Hyppocratic Oath to "First do no harm", and ignoring a health issue like obesity can potentially cause the patient harm.

Yes it is, and obviously MDs have noticed that they might be causing harm by providing that kind of counseling they're doing right now.

Did you even read the whole article?

I did. I actually read it yesterday outside this forum. My point is if someone is being caused harm by an MD telling them they are unhealthy and need to lose weight to become healthy, then they've got bigger problems than their weight. Denial, maybe?

Jeez. Can someone have a differing opinion anymore without people getting pissy about it?

[QueenOfTheTamazons 634]

They're not saying that doctors shouldn't tell you you're overweight and they need to lose weight. They're saying that telling you you need to lose weight without giving you the proper tools on how to do anything about it is a negative.

If I tell you to go cook a fancy dinner but don't tell you where to buy the ingredients for what recipe do you use you're just going to get frustrated and upset.

The request and advice to lose weight it should be accompanied by solid information, or a specific treatment plan so that the patient doesn't feel discouraged. Weight loss is hard if you don't have the tools or the knowledge to do it.

HW 385 SW 359 Sleeved 10/5/16