That's really cute. Witty billboards that make me smile always get my attention.
I will also go on a mini rant here [] and say that docs need to be held accountable for their health and weight-loss. Something similar to the practices held for policepeople and the military. Overweight soldiers and cops can't cut it in their fields - with docs it's even worse. Who wants to hear about weightloss from someone who could stand to lose a few as well? They need to be the epitome of health - practice what they preach. When I was in grad school, med students would come in and grab donuts, pastries, pizzas etc. There were very few who would get a healthy salad and a sandwich. ARGH. Ok, off the soapbox.
LOL - maybe it's a soapbox, but I have to agree. The first doctor who told me I was "obese" I really DIDN'T take seriously. You've got to realize, I'm 5'8", and carry weight well. So at 180 I wore a size 12 or 14 - I didn't look that bad. Being told this by a doctor who was 5'4" and round - well, I didn't listen. Wish I had -
Overweight soldiers and cops can't cut it in their fields - with docs it's even worse. Who wants to hear about weightloss from someone who could stand to lose a few as well? They need to be the epitome of health - practice what they preach. When I was in grad school, med students would come in and grab donuts, pastries, pizzas etc. There were very few who would get a healthy salad and a sandwich. ARGH. Ok, off the soapbox.
Oh, gosh, I don't know if I agree with this! Sure, if you're a nurse in the back watching the doc eat, you might have some idea of their eating habits, but without knowing your docs medical history and eating habits, there is no way to make anything but a GUESS from that doc's weight that they don't practice what they preach. Also, I really don't believe we can expect ANYONE to be perfect. So, for example, doctors shouldn't smoke (NO ONE should), and you can bet they know better, but they are people too, who struggle with addiction, and their addiction doesn't make the advice (quit smoking) any less valid.
We are all (including doctors) human, so expecting perfection is just going to lead to disappointment, and in any case, I don't know if I agree with making inferences about someone's health habits based solely on weight. You also don't know if that doc is WORKING on losing weight, and currently has healthy habits but is waiting for his/her weight to catch up (sort of like if you went to the doctor and, when talking about your weight, he/she told you "you just need to eat less fast food" when you've already cut that out and are counting calories...it's condescending and makes assumptions about your habits based on your current weight).
I wonder who had the money to pay for that billboard? Was it a public service ad? Did veggie producers create a joint advertising board (like the Milk people did with the Got Milk ads?) Did you happen to notice who the ad was directed from?
Manda-it was a health insurance company that paid for it! Not public service at all, I thought that at first too.
I don't know that I agree with saying that doctors have to practice what they preach. It is really hard, as we can see, which is why we're all here, and they are human too.
Just because they're overweight or obese doesn't mean they don't know the steps to take to be healthy or that they're bad at their job. (I'm obese, and ever since I started gaining weight, I knew it was bad...I just kept eating because it's not as simple as just having the knowledge.) They may be more sympathetic to the struggle of losing. I feel more sensitive and defensive when a normal weight doc tells me I need to lose weight.
I'd rather have a doc that's overweight than bad at their job, and I'd hate to miss out on a potentially really good doc just because they're overweight.
I do have a comment to add to this. It is very hard to understand what is going on behind the scenes with someone's health etc. I know many people in the military and one person was a fitness junkie. He would wake up early, bike 10 miles, swim 10 and get on the treadmill for five THEN go to PT with the rest of the squadron.
However, because his ratio (i.e. body measurements) were too large in relation to his weight, he always failed. So, here you have this larger guy who can out perform anyone in the squadron failing time after time. Never seemed fair to judge based on one single criteria.
Do you know for sure what's going on with your doctor? Sometimes I want to hold my doctor up to a higher standard because he's trying to tell me what's right and wrong for my health/weight and it irritates me, but I can't. I already know to eat well as does he, but ultimately we're both human and fallible.
I think what would help is if doctor's take the time to talk more rather than barking orders. If they say "You need to lose weight, I know it's hard but..." That opens a dialogue where people are more apt to listen rather than "You're obese(fat, overweight etc)! Lose weight!" Who wouldn't get defensive?
For some sad reason, I've been around med students for far too long. I've also met them when they eventually become doctors. I don't know if it's just the sampling I had (20- 30), but they were pretty condescending when it came down to nutrition and passing judgment on their patients. Regardless of my personal experience, I feel you all made good points, however I still can't help but feel it's hypocritical for a doctor to tell someone to lose weight (not accounting for those docs that open it up as a discussion) or quit smoking while they're not doing much about it. I don't have much sympathy for them because I've been behind the scenes and they're the ones eating the mickey D's and going "yeah but I know how to lose it, I'M A DOCTOR." I would think that a doc who is overweight/obese telling someone else to lose weight but saying it conversationally would bring in his/her own battle with weight loss, which is good. Unfortunately, most don't. There are plenty of stories on these forums attesting to this, where chickies post all upset over the tone their doc used. It's not a rare occurrence. I equate it to the following scenario: Would you give your child's teacher a pass if they didn't know their material so well but they told you they were working on it?
I understand where you're coming from. I work in finance for a health science center (med students, nursing, physical therapists etc) and they do eat a lot of junk. Unfortunately I see the med school buying them late night pizza, doughnuts, sodas etc. But I also see those that do really well and walk out of the cafeteria with water and a nice salad. Just like any other group there are those that eat well and those that don't
There are also those that are condecending and rude and those that aren't. I've been very lucky that most of my doctor's have been pretty good. My OBGYN stops and talks to me in the halls whenever he sees me which helps. I'm just spunky enough myself if an overweight doctor said "Lose weight" and was downright rude about it I'd ask ever so sweetly, "Can you tell me some examples of how you're losing your weight? I just don't seem to know anything about this health stuff."
I understand where you're coming from. I work in finance for a health science center (med students, nursing, physical therapists etc) and they do eat a lot of junk. Unfortunately I see the med school buying them late night pizza, doughnuts, sodas etc. But I also see those that do really well and walk out of the cafeteria with water and a nice salad. Just like any other group there are those that eat well and those that don't
There are also those that are condecending and rude and those that aren't. I've been very lucky that most of my doctor's have been pretty good. My OBGYN stops and talks to me in the halls whenever he sees me which helps. I'm just spunky enough myself if an overweight doctor said "Lose weight" and was downright rude about it I'd ask ever so sweetly, "Can you tell me some examples of how you're losing your weight? I just don't seem to know anything about this health stuff."
True. I like your response. Hehehehe...
P.S: Sorry Paris for hijacking your thread!
Last edited by Sunnigummi; 08-13-2009 at 07:24 PM.
Why should doctors need to be slim and healthy? You (and your insurance company) are paying them for their knowledge and expertise, gained from many years of studying and practice.
Also, whether or not we are overweight is really an observation based on height and weight, not a subjective opinion.
Just saw a great billboard
] and say that docs need to be held accountable for their health and weight-loss. Something similar to the practices held for policepeople and the military. Overweight soldiers and cops can't cut it in their fields - with docs it's even worse. Who wants to hear about weightloss from someone who could stand to lose a few as well? They need to be the epitome of health - practice what they preach. When I was in grad school, med students would come in and grab donuts, pastries, pizzas etc. There were very few who would get a healthy salad and a sandwich. ARGH. Ok, off the soapbox.
