Why are nurses obese?

clarkeje1
clarkeje1 Posts: 1,641 Member
in Chit-Chat
Just a random question for chit chat, something I have been curious about. Don't take offense or get upset, its just a general question. If you do take offense or get upset, oh well lol. So my question is...

Why are a significant amount of nurses overweight or obese? You would think that someone working in the healthcare field would be more knowledgeable about their own health and have more insight into taking care of themselves. I work at a hospital and see a lot of obese nurses. Also there have been studies done that show that a significant amount of nurses are overweight/obese. Here is just an example of something I found on Google, didn't try super hard to research it.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/study-finds-55-percent-nurses-overweight-obese/story?id=15472375

Again, not a dig on anyone, just curious. Opinions/comments?
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Replies

  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    I think its because of long hours, different shifts, night, backshift, my ex's mother was a nurse and literally scarfed her food , even at home, just because they rarely get time to eat. also they are so busy taking care of other people, that is their job and passion, and probably neglect to take care of themselves...god love nurses!!!! However my ex's mother was slim , and his sister is a nurse and shes slim....dunno ??
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,641 Member
    Sucks that nurses have to work long hours, they should just be able to have a regular schedule like everyone else
  • mayaocean
    mayaocean Posts: 355 Member
    Because they consume more calories than their bodies need.
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
    I think its because of long hours, different shifts, night, backshift, my ex's mother was a nurse and literally scarfed her food , even at home, just because they rarely get time to eat. also they are so busy taking care of other people, that is their job and passion, and probably neglect to take care of themselves...god love nurses!!!! However my ex's mother was slim , and his sister is a nurse and shes slim....dunno ??

    Same reason fat people are fat. You would think nurses would be in tip top shape but no. Of course, not all nurses are overweight.
  • krystina_letitia9
    krystina_letitia9 Posts: 697 Member
    Sucks that nurses have to work long hours, they should just be able to have a regular schedule like everyone else

    That's nice... in theory. Too bad patients need 24 hour care.
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
    Sucks that nurses have to work long hours, they should just be able to have a regular schedule like everyone else

    Most nurses only work 3-4 days a week on 12-hour rounds so to be quite honest long hour shifts mean nothing.
  • anappleaday34
    anappleaday34 Posts: 90
    Because they consume more calories than their bodies need.

    +1
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    Because it is a mentally and physically exhausting job! I started night shift at past year and packed on 25 lbs! I'm an emotional eater, so I'd have a rough shift, get off at 6 am, stop by Burger King for breakfast croissants, get home, sleep, wake up, go to work, stop by the gas station, pick up junk, eat all, work, repeat. It sucked!!!! I don't think non-nurses realize how stressful this job can be!! There needs to be a balance between dealing with the job without relying on food for comfort. And getting over the mental exhaustion to fit in regular exercise.
  • mayaocean
    mayaocean Posts: 355 Member
    Sucks that nurses have to work long hours, they should just be able to have a regular schedule like everyone else

    Why does it suck? You're acting like they were forced into their profession.

    Pretty sure nurses are all aware of their work hours long before they go to nursing school.

    Same as truck drivers, lawyers, physicians, teachers, etc.

    Why would you feel bad for someone who is employed and actually in a job related to their area of study?
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    The same reason why they are all smokers and trashy!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1101475-why-do-so-many-nurses-smoke
  • ChristineinMA
    ChristineinMA Posts: 312 Member
    what profession are you in Mayaocean? You seem angry and I'd like to avoid your restaurant if you are in fact on the waitstaff there. :laugh:
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
    I think that's a pretty general statement to make with no real basis... :huh:

    So just because the nurses you see are fat all nurses everywhere must be fat as well? :laugh: Actually I think it's pretty funny to make such a blanket statement.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Because they consume more calories than their bodies need.

    So true
  • anro86
    anro86 Posts: 790 Member
    IMO I think a lot of people who are "givers" and tend to put others needs in front of their own let themselves go a bit in the looks department- because instead of doing things for themselves they are doing for everyone else and they put themselves at the bottom of the list... nurses may fall into that category.
  • tayn505
    tayn505 Posts: 1
    Does not say if they are RN's or not
  • sizzle74
    sizzle74 Posts: 858 Member
    Good to know I am obese.

    Why are doctors? Or mailmen? Or attorneys? :huh:
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    Why does anyone do things they know they probably shouldn't? - Moot point really...
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    what profession are you in Mayaocean? You seem angry and I'd like to avoid your restaurant if you are in fact on the waitstaff there. :laugh:
    [/quote

    She's not angry, she's being factual
  • peachcats
    peachcats Posts: 99
    They aren't taught nutrition.
    My mother was a nurse and couldn't tell you the first thing about nutrition.
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    I think that's a pretty general statement to make with no real basis... :huh:

    So just because the nurses you see are fat all nurses everywhere must be fat as well? :laugh: Actually I think it's pretty funny to make such a blanket statement.

    Jeff get the frick out of here! All nurses are super fat! I was in Somalia after being shot by some pirates, so I caught a taxi to the hospital (the driver was a pirate too). When I got there I was very surprised by all the fat nurses cause EVERYONE in Somalia was rail skinny except those fat nurses... it was like being in a twilight zone.
  • Guinivere
    Guinivere Posts: 357 Member
    I think it's a hospital trust's responsibility to ensure their staff has access to healthy options around the clock.

    Private sector manage it....
  • CaffeinatedConfectionist
    CaffeinatedConfectionist Posts: 1,046 Member
    I'm a psychiatric social worker, and a lot of my coworkers and other people in my profession tend to be overweight. I feel like it's the same kind of deal - long hours, stressful work full of mental and emotional strain (we just had a guy get recommitted today and that was a rough one) and your breaks are always liable to be interrupted by some crisis or another so you tend to eat grab-and-go meals. You're on your feet all the time, and that makes it hard to want to exercise on top of work. These aren't excuses (that's why I'm on MFP, after all), but they are all contributing factors.

    ETA: IMO, it doesn't have anything to do with being knowledgeable about healthy eating and exercise. We work all the time to encourage our clients to be healthier when we ourselves aren't always the healthiest. Having the knowledge doesn't always translate to putting it into practice.
  • kgreenRDLDN
    kgreenRDLDN Posts: 248 Member
    Most nurses don't get a long enough lunch break to make a lot of healthy choices. they usually snack on what they can when they can, and many times that comes from a vending machine. If the hospital they work in doesn't have a 24 hour café then they are extremely limited in food choices.

    Shifts are normally long, and they are either in a patient room or sitting at a computer charting-so more sedentary. Its stressful because they get overloaded with patients, same for CNAs. However not all nurses fall into this category, I know several who were very healthy and thin, and I know several who are overweight or obese. Like mention if you work night shift all you do is go to work, grab food when you can from where you can, then go home and sleep all day to get up and do it again.
  • crevices
    crevices Posts: 226 Member
    who cares..? there's overweight/obese people in every profession
  • BurningAway
    BurningAway Posts: 279
    I think that's a pretty general statement to make with no real basis... :huh:

    So just because the nurses you see are fat all nurses everywhere must be fat as well? :laugh: Actually I think it's pretty funny to make such a blanket statement.

    Jeff get the frick out of here! All nurses are super fat! I was in Somalia after being shot by some pirates, so I caught a taxi to the hospital (the driver was a pirate too). When I got there I was very surprised by all the fat nurses cause EVERYONE in Somalia was rail skinny except those fat nurses... it was like being in a twilight zone.

    STFU LMFAO
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    who cares..? there's overweight/obese people in every profession

    Yep nearly all the life guards at the 2 pool closest to me are pretty overweight. I couldn't care less providing they don't land on me if they dive in the pool :indifferent:
  • disasterman
    disasterman Posts: 746 Member
    Confirmation bias.
  • Briargrey
    Briargrey Posts: 498 Member
    For the same reason other people are -- many and varied. They're people with the same excuses, rationales, and issues that the rest of us have for consuming more calories than we burn.

    Ideally, would people in healthcare be more health-conscious? Sure. But people are people ;)
  • krazyforyou
    krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
    I have been an RN for 13years. And yes I knew the hours before taking the job. But did you know that I am legally and physically responsible for your care. Try working a 13 hour shift responsible for 8 post-op patient with additional medical problems. Try pulling on a 500 pound patient to help them reposition. Try getting 15mins to eat standing up. Try having 5 patients call you at the same time all wanting diffrent things. Yes I love my job, but it sucks most days. So if I am overweight so what profession has nothing to do with what makes us over eat.
  • ktliu
    ktliu Posts: 334 Member
    Because you earn more money so you can afford to not cook, but every time and everywhere that you can buy food, The food has too much, fat, sugar and salt. Not to mention stress. and no time to exercise.
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