If I read you correctly it seems that you assume the patient should work all this out for him/herself based on concrete facts presented by a doctor with no regard to his/her feelings. Am I misrepresenting you?
That...isn't at all what I said. So, yes, you are misinterpreting me. I'm really not sure how you went from "inform the patient and encourage them to change" to "ignore the patient's feelings and don't help them at all." Furthermore, I would think that you know me well enough to know that that's not the kind of thing I'd advocate.
Don't get me wrong, I don't like how the media portrays overweight/obese people. But there's a big difference between telling someone "you're fat and ugly, because you can only be attractive if you're thin," and "you would feel better and be healthier if you lost weight" (notice there's nothing about appearance in the second example??). Certainly people are hypersensitized to this issue, both because it really is a huge problem in this country (70% overweight? 25+% obese??) and so it's difficult for anyone, doctors or otherwise, to discuss it with people.
BUT.
That doesn't mean that the "Fat Acceptance" movement is going about things the right way. Support for people who don't fit the perfect American image? Totally awesome. Help for people who are overweight/obese? Fantastic. Telling people that being fat is not unhealthy, and ridiculing people who are trying to lose weight? Um, not cool. Also, hurtful to people in the long run.
no subject
That...isn't at all what I said. So, yes, you are misinterpreting me. I'm really not sure how you went from "inform the patient and encourage them to change" to "ignore the patient's feelings and don't help them at all." Furthermore, I would think that you know me well enough to know that that's not the kind of thing I'd advocate.
Don't get me wrong, I don't like how the media portrays overweight/obese people. But there's a big difference between telling someone "you're fat and ugly, because you can only be attractive if you're thin," and "you would feel better and be healthier if you lost weight" (notice there's nothing about appearance in the second example??). Certainly people are hypersensitized to this issue, both because it really is a huge problem in this country (70% overweight? 25+% obese??) and so it's difficult for anyone, doctors or otherwise, to discuss it with people.
BUT.
That doesn't mean that the "Fat Acceptance" movement is going about things the right way. Support for people who don't fit the perfect American image? Totally awesome. Help for people who are overweight/obese? Fantastic. Telling people that being fat is not unhealthy, and ridiculing people who are trying to lose weight? Um, not cool. Also, hurtful to people in the long run.