Doctors should use the term "fat" instead of "obese" - do you agree?

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  • Personally, I think the term obese sounds way worse than fat. Plus it's the clinical term; I'd be weirded out by a doctor saying fat instead just because it sounds unprofessional and (from a doctor) under-educated
  • I don't know why it doesn't occur to people that ... People. Are. Different.

    Just because the author feels motivated when someone calls her fat, doesn't mean other people don't just crave ice cream like **** when made to feel bad.

    Seriously? She's totally unaware not everyone reacts like she does? Really?
  • Quote: I lived overseas (China) for 4 years. In Chinese, there's one common word for fat/obese/overweight/chubby - all of it (I don't speak medical Chinese, so I'm sure there's something more precise).

    The "F word" lost almost all of its stigma while I was in China. Everyone calls everyone else fat. It's a greeting: "Hey, you're looking fatter today!" and it's really commonplace to have friends/strangers ask you how much you weigh.
    I'm living in the wrong country then!

    I really don't like the word fat. Never have I, or
    will I use the word fat to describe myself or someone
    else. I cringe at the word and I think that overall
    it's just a really negative word. I also don't like the
    word skinny. Something about that word makes me
    cringe also. I prefer terms like big or tiny.
  • I think fat is an insult word. Obese is a disease word. Calling me obese makes me feel like I better lose weight or I'll die. Calling me fat makes me think I am not as good as you are. Or rather YOU think I am not as good as you are.

    Think about it--would you call someone smaller than you fat? Probably not. Most people only call someone who is larger than themselves "fat."

    Doctors, stick with the medical terminology.
  • I have a friend that is 6' 2" and weighs 330 pounds....

    he will say things like "my ex-wife got fat and blah...blah...blah" always bashing her for their divorce/lives

    Someone else with us at work will say "dude! You are fat!" He always comes back with "No, I'm big...I'm just a big guy"

    or he'll say to me "Wow your brother eats a lot!"....and seriously this guys eats at least as much or more than my 6' 2" 245 pound brother.

    We have been friends for over 40 years so we just ignore this stuff for the most part....heard it too many times.

    I swear he still sees himself still as an 18 yr. old maybe just a little overweight.

    He will also describe people as obese...we tell him that he is obese and it's always.."Well, not really...I'm just a big guy"....

    People have always been described as fat ~ chubby ~ skinny ~ thin ~ tall ~ short ~ stocky ~ lanky

    these ARE the words we use to describe people....

    When I was younger I was described as skinny...sometimes I felt embarrassed about it...

    but the fact is...I WAS skinny!!!

    call it what you want...thin...skinny....lanky....it's all the same!