Morbidly Obese doctors

I do think that regardless of their lifestyle, doctors need to hold themselves to a higher standard when it comes to health. When my daughter was in the hospital it always made me nuts to look out the window and see the number of doctors and nurses standing just off the property to smoke.

"Do as I say, not as I do" should not apply.

This. If you work in health care, you should be healthy.

I work in healthcare..... I'm an Insurance biller.... does that mean I don't have physical and emotional issues? Really?
Let's climb slowly down off of that horse... it's just a little too high!:laugh:

Doctors and nurses have struggles just like the rest of us, and who knows what their stories are. I have a good friend who is very overweight and is an AMAZING nurse- the most caring nurse you could ever hope for. She has been overweight her whole life. Of course she wants to lose the weight, and was encouraged to do so while in nursing school, but she has the same struggles we do. Being knowledgeable about health doesn't make anyone immune to health problems and choosing a profession in health doesn't mean you can switch a magical switch that makes being healthy suddenly easy. If that were the case, no person on earth would be overweight or smoke- after all, we all know better, right? She had every intention to lose weight while in nursing school but as we all know losing weight is HARD and it's a battle of the mind as well as the body. I hope no one would think she should have chosen a different profession just because of her size.

Besides, health is more than size. Even though she weighs a lot more than I do, in some ways she is more healthy- she has never smoked cigarettes, drinks rarely, and exercises every day. I WISH I could be more like her in every way, other than dietary choices (and there are plenty of times I make bad choices too).

Found a great vet for my Westie, but god he should really lose about 50 pounds, min. Hasn't seemed to impact his care so far, but I'm gonna follow this closely.

--P

in my experience... people who are or have been heavy know a lot more about eating right and weight loss than people who have always been naturally thin. It's just that sometimes we struggle to apply those things. It doesn't mean we don't know how, it doesn't mean we don't care, it just means that right now, there are struggles.

People have all kinds of bad habits, we just can't always see them. Weight issues happen to be a flaw/weakness that is obvious to everyone. If you want to avoid a doctor because they are overweight, you probably want to interview them to make sure they don't drink too much in the evenings, don't sneak a cigarette at lunch, or spend most of their free time watching TV and vegging on the couch.

Fat does not mean stupid or incompetent. If we buy into this stereotype we only injure ourselves. Stupidity and incompetence comes in every size.

This.

Like many people in other professions, doctors have a lot to deal with - they may have trouble juggling everything in their lives - and like many of us, some probably sacrifice their own well being first. Grabbing food on the go, cutting out workouts, etc. Just because a doctor hasn't done the best job balancing his or her own life (work vs. home vs. personal health) doesn't mean they aren't knowledgeable enough to help me with my own medical needs.

My only concern is that I would want my doctor (regardless of his or her own weight) to be honest with me about my weight and any health issues that could be related to it. I've heard that sometimes doctors who are overweight themselves are less likely to bring up weigh problems with their patients.

Don't we generally go to the doctor to get their help and opinion/ advice?
I don't go there to judge them for their lifestyle, their size does not make their medical degree any less valid.

but since a lot of their requests are personal opinion.. if they don't know how to live a healthy lifestyle, its hard for them to really be helpful in perusing one.

Then again, im not there for their advice... Im normally only there to tell them run this test and give me the numbers, or give me an antibiotic.
I look at it a lot like a car mechanic. While there are great mechanics out there, none of them are going to put the same amount of time effort and commitment into my car as I will.. they cant get it as good because they cant commit that much time to one car. I might not know anything about your car, but I know mine inside and out..... same thing goes for myself.

UMMM...did you go to medical school? How do you know you need an antibiotic or whatever? What qualifies you to make that determination? You may certainly REQUEST something specific, but your provider is going to determine if that is indeed indicated based on your condition, their training, and current research.

And just so you know, it IS a provider's job to give advice, whether it's to prevent illness/injury in the first place (called "primary prevention") or to treat an existing condition ("secondary prevention").

And on the original topic--as someone who works in health care, I feel very hippocritical if I recommend healthy habits and then turn around and eat a brownie and drink a soda and not exercise. I may not be perfect, but at least I'm trying, and I have a little more empathy for patients who truly struggle.

well.. im im there for an antibotic... its because I have an infection. lol. it was just an example.

and yes. I was a doctor....


but it turns out im a total quack.

I totally agreed with your original post. But that reply to it got me fuming... As if we don't know our own bodies best and shouldn't take our health in our own hands as long as we also strive to be well-informed (as you and I likely are). Instead let's blindly trust everything to someone else, who does the best they can within a VERY flawed system.... For instance, I do not talk to doctors about nutrition; many have very little education in nutrition (my doctors have told me that themselves) or disease PREVENTION. Doctors currently learn about treating illness, usually with pharmaceuticals.

For instance, my child gets ear infections (initially caused by receiving an antibiotic for a VIRAL infection). I have used tamanu nut oil the last two infections, and the infection was GONE, in just hours each time. So, should I really be running off to the doctor for antibiotics for her ear infections?

(I'm glad you saw a way to turn that comment around with humour; good on you!)

I don't care what shape my doctor is, skinny, fat, whatever. It's their business. I don't expect nutritional, health or prevention advice from them anymore either; that's not what they are trained for. Even if they try to provide it, I do what's best for me and my body (based on personal experience, and thousands of hours of studying health/nutrition related research papers, history, and anthropology).

No, you most certainly are not, ). Going to see a doctor who tells you that you need to lose weight when they are like that themselves or worse seems kind of hypocritical if you ask me! They should be setting a good example!

Parents also should set a good example, but an obese parent is not necessarily a bad parent.

Last doctor I went to was a urologist and I think his finger was too big.

Bwahahaha poor guy!!!! Maybe that wasn't his finger.... did you think of that?

My doctor is probably 75-100 lbs overweight. But he's a great doctor. He is so clear with me and doesn't treat me like an idiot.

I just wish he'd stop prescribing me expensive meds because I have no coverage!!L

No, you most certainly are not, ). Going to see a doctor who tells you that you need to lose weight when they are like that themselves or worse seems kind of hypocritical if you ask me! They should be setting a good example!

Parents also should set a good example, but an obese parent is not necessarily a bad parent.

Fortunately, now we do thanks! )

My doctor was pregnant when I first met her. I had no Idea until a few months later when I tried to book an appointment and they said she was on mat leave. I was thinking THATS why she looked overweight... but years later she still looks the same. It makes me not want to talk about any weight issues with them...

The way I see it, doctors and nurses are human just like the rest of us. We all know what helps people lose weight and stay fit and healthy, but we still have to put it into practice. Doctors and nurses have the same stresses we have, demanding jobs, families, stress and need to find the motivation and time to put in exercise and making sure we have a healthy diet. Those that came here overweight and wanting to lose weight used the same excuses those same overweight doctors and nurses probably use use. "This take out meal is easier". "This ice cream tastes so good". "I'm too tired/don't have time to excercise", ect. Why are they supposed to be immune and above those same thoughts and emotions? A medical degree doesn't elevate them beyond human emotion.

I judge a good doctor by one who spends time with their patients, listens to all of their concerns and genuinely tries to find the solution without just throwing a prescription at you and rushing you out the door. A doctor that treats me like a human being and not just the next number on the list. I don't care if that doctor is fat, skinny or in shape. A doctor that listens is far more important than their fitness level. I'll take an overweight doctor who understands the struggle over a skinny doctor who doesn't know or understand and does nothing but criticize (been in both shoes).

My MiL had a doc (when she was around the same age i am now) that was so morbidly obese. She was told one day that in order to get rid of her diabeties she'd have to lose a lot weight. Meanwhile the doc had a bar of chocolate in his hand eating it during the consultation. She found a new doc and never went back.

But his advice was correct. Did she leave because he didn't follow his own advice, or because she didn't want to follow his advice?

How many people here find obese people to make valid points about losing weight? How many people here followed advice given to them by someone who is obese?

Just because they're obese doesn't mean they're wrong. Just means they aren't smart enough to follow their own advice.

Just wanted to add that I personally know a lot about nutrition and fitness just through years of struggling with my weight and trying to get it off. I'm still obese (for another 29 lbs anyway), but I've lost 52 lbs in a healthy and sustainable way. My point is if you met me today and didn't know my past, you'd think I wasn't "smart enough to follow my own advice."

I became friends with the nurse at my doctor's office. She was very large. One day she told me that she had been put on antidepressants when she was younger. She couldn't afford them, so she would cut them in half. Turns out that screwing around with the doseage with that type of medication can cause a serious weight gain. She wasn't a nurse then, and the doctor hadn't told her about that. She gained 70 lbs in less than a year. I moved shortly after that conversation. Don't know if she ever got back in shape. But like others have said, you never know what reason someone might have for being overweight.