An obese nutritionist: would you be her patient?

My GP is obese.

Mr_Knight wrote: »

Choosing an obese nutritionist means not-choosing a healthy and fit nutritionist.

I'm pretty healthy and fit and would be a terrible nutritionist. Just because you look the part doesn't always mean you are the best person for the job and vice versa.

Causes of obesity according to Mayo clinic :
• Inactivity.
• Unhealthy diet and eating habits.
• Pregnancy. .
• Lack of sleep. Too little sleep can cause changes in hormones that increase your appetite. You may also crave foods high in calories and carbohydrates, which can contribute to weight gain.
• Certain medications. Some medications can lead to weight gain if you don't compensate through diet or activity. These medications include some antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medications, antipsychotic medications, corticosteroids and beta blockers.
• Medical problems. Obesity can sometimes be traced to a medical cause, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, and other diseases and conditions. Some medical problems, such as arthritis, can lead to decreased activity, which may result in weight gain.

Risk Factors of obesity:
• Genetics. Your genes may affect the amount of body fat you store and where that fat is distributed. Genetics may also play a role in how efficiently your body converts food into energy and how your body burns calories during exercise. Even when someone has a genetic predisposition, environmental factors ultimately make you gain more weight.
• Family lifestyle. Obesity tends to run in families. That's not just because of genetics. Family members tend to have similar eating, lifestyle and activity habits. If one or both of your parents are obese, your risk of being obese is increased.
• Inactivity. .
• Unhealthy diet and eating habits. A diet that's high in calories, lacking in fruits and vegetables, full of fast food, missing breakfast, and laden with high-calorie beverages and oversized portions contributes to weight gain.
• Quitting smoking. Quitting smoking is often associated with weight gain. And for some, it can lead to enough weight gain that the person becomes obese. In the long run, however, quitting smoking is still a greater benefit to your health than continuing to smoke.
• Pregnancy. .
• Lack of sleep.
• Certain medications.
• Age. Obesity can occur at any age, even in young children. But as you age, hormonal changes and a less active lifestyle increase your risk of obesity. In addition, the amount of muscle in your body tends to decrease with age. This lower muscle mass leads to a decrease in metabolism. These changes also reduce calorie needs and can make it harder to keep off excess weight. If you don't control what you eat and consciously become more physically active as you age, you'll likely gain weight.
• Social and economic issues. Certain social and economic issues may be linked to obesity. You may not have safe areas to exercise, you may not have been taught healthy ways of cooking or you may not have money to buy healthier foods. In addition, the people you spend time with may influence your weight — you're more likely to become obese if you have obese friends or relatives.
• Medical problems.


Original article : http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/basics/definition/con-20014834


Having said all that, why will you not go to an obese nutritionist??? There could be tones of reason why s/he is overweight. It is like saying you will not go to a cardiologist because s/he has a history of myocardial infraction (heart attack) or an oncologist because s/he is suffering from some sort of cancer. Yes, you have the rights to chose your own healthcare provider, but I really find it bit demeaning to refuse a professional based on his/her appearances!

JenAndSome wrote: »

The first things I look for are convenience...[snip]...you are doing it wrong....

Ok, then.

JenAndSome wrote: »

Mr_Knight wrote: »

Choosing an obese nutritionist means not-choosing a healthy and fit nutritionist.

I'm pretty healthy and fit and would be a terrible nutritionist. Just because you look the part doesn't always mean you are the best person for the job and vice versa.

Are you marketing yourself as a nutritionist? If not, then not a good comparison.

It comes down to this. You are buying a service.
Service provider A behaves or appears in such a way that indicates they might not be what you need.
Service provider B behaves or appears in such a way that is consistent with what you need.

If you have no other information, who in their right mind goes with service provider A?

Assuming, by obese you mean clinically obese, the answer is no. I don't think the issue is just whether or not someone has the knowledge - i.e they can talk the talk. If I'm hiring a nutritionist or trainer I want someone with expertise and a role model (someone who also walks the walk). I also wouldn't go to a doctor who is a chain smoker since this type of behaviour is so anti-health he/she would lack credibility for me. Frankly the old "do as I say not as I do" didn't work well for my parents. I'm certainly not going to accept it from someone who I'm paying and whose actions and advise my effect my health and well being.

If as a consumer you don't believe there is a link between obesity and health, then I suppose it wouldn't matter.

NextPage wrote: »

Assuming, by obese you mean clinically obese, the answer is no. I don't think the issue is just whether or not someone has the knowledge - i.e they can talk the talk. If I'm hiring a nutritionist or trainer I want someone with expertise and a role model (someone who also walks the walk). I also wouldn't go to a doctor who is a chain smoker since this type of behaviour is so anti-health he/she would lack credibility for me. Frankly the old "do as I say not as I do" didn't work well for my parents. I'm certainly not going to accept it from someone who I'm paying and whose actions and advise my effect my health and well being.

If as a consumer you don't believe there is a link between obesity and health, then I suppose it wouldn't matter.

Correlation does not equal causation.

If someone is obese, we don't know where they are in their journey - if they were once larger, if they had a number of other factors that led to weight gain, etc. Regardless of what the issue is for *many* people, that doesn't mean that you can take a look at someone and know their story.

Also, I would rather have a nutritionist that knew my struggle than someone who has not and is now telling me what I need to do. Just like not every fat person is fat because of bad choices, not every thin person is thin because they ate right and worked hard for it.

msf74 wrote: »

However, the issue this creates is similar to the economic problem of statistical discrimination (as opposed to outright prejudice) in the labour market for example. It means that progression is not necessarily on pure merit but other factors including bias. If consumers have no reason to question their behaviour or are not challenged on it then that bias perpetuates over time and is a bar to a meritocracy.

Your initial assumption of "who has time to dig?" already precludes the possibility of an actual meritocracy, so that's not really an issue.

I've seen too many hack doctors. Just being fat doesn't mean she doesn't know here profession, but its not the best sign either.

if its the only red flag then I wouldn't worry about it... but someone who's totally clueless might not pick up on them