Doctors Visits and Weight Talk

Many disregulated eaters who are heavy have had difficulty talking with medical professionals due to their treatment of “overweight” patients. We know from anecdotal experience that this is true, and now a study in the journal Obesity gives us proof. But don’t despair, you can learn to get the most out of medical visits. Says Dr. Kimberly A. Gudzune of John Hopkins School of Medicine where the study was done (Sarasota Herald-Tribune (5/7/13), “The bedside manner may improve with slimmer patients. Doctors seemed just a bit nicer to their normal-weight patients, showing more empathy and warmth in their conversations. It’s not like the physicians were being overtly negative or harsh. They were just not engaging patients in that rapport-building or making that emotional connection with the patient.”  No surprise to many of you, I’m sure. While this is disappointing news, it may feel good to be validated. It can be hard to know whether or not you’re imagining people’s judgmental attitudes, and disregulated eaters often have self-trust issues to start with, wondering if they’re being “too sensitive” or if the health practitioner is truly being inappropriately weight-focused  or dismissive. Either way, these encounters with medical professionals far too often keep people from seeking health care when needed.  Let’s examine the reasons health practitioners might react as they do. They’re as much a part of our fat-phobic, t...
Source: Normal Eating - Category: Eating Disorders Authors: Source Type: blogs