If you think you've ever been discriminated against for being overweight, there's a good chance you have.
As American's waistlines expand, discrimination against the obese grows along with it, and it seems that discrimination is skewed towards women.
More than a third of American adults are considered obese, a figure that's jumped over the past 20 years. Approximately 17, or 12.5 million children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese. Read more from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention.
"It wouldn't be the first time I heard about patients being obese feeling stigmatized by their doctor," said Dr. Jill Clemence of Albany Medical Center. Clemence is a psychologist who works with obese patients. She says the research is clear: Many in health care look at obese patients as not worthy of treatment, that they are lazy and not responsible for their well being. "I think when you have that core belief in mind and you're a doctor, it's going to influence how you make decisions about how to treat people," she said.
It turns out, It's worse for women than men.
A 2007 Yale University study finds doctor prejudice starts when a female patient is as little as 13 pounds overweight. Men tend to get a pass until they're about 75 pounds overweight.
Back in May, this subject came to the forefront when a gynecology group in Florida made headlines refused to accept overweight patients.
"I'm outraged and shocked. Doctors, all doctors, take a Hippocratic oath to treat any patient regardless of whether they're obese or they have chronic conditions," said Donna Montalto executive director of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
As executive director, Montalto says ACOG reminds its membership about the special needs of obese women because they have an increased risk of complications both during and after pregnancy.
While not condoning discrimination, Dr. Peter Sosnow, head of the Medical Society in the Capital Region says, those increased risks, coupled with sky high medical malpractice rates for OB/GYNS, make it understandable why a doctor might not want to accept an obese woman into their practice.
"Bad outcomes can become malpractice even though there's no negligence," Dr. Sosnow said.
But there are even more subtle ways obese patients are stigmatized. "A lot of doctor's offices don't have chairs that don't have the handles, so it's very uncomfortable to sit down or get out of them," said Barbara Galloway. Galloway attends a program called Tops, Take Off Pounds Sensibly. She and the others in the group share stories of snide comments made by their health care professional.
Ceil Galloway remembers all too well her doctor's comments after she gained weight following an Easter dinner. "And he said, what was that, the ham that fed Chicago? You laugh now but how did you feel in that moment? I said, oh, my god, how dare you," she said.
"Women in particular who are obese don't want to get health care because they're afraid of not only what the doctor may say about their obesity and concerns that they may have about their health care but they don't want to present, they don't want to present themselves," said Montalto.
Why women pack on the pounds is a complex issue, not simply a lack of motivation or too much food eaten and too few calories expended. There are emotional, genetic and societal issues and doctors, especially those who turn their noses down at heavy patients, may be contributing to the problem. "People who are discriminated against, we know, it's a clear fact, that they tend to gain more weight as a result," said Clemence.
If you think you are being discriminated against because of your size, talk with your doctor. If you're unable to come to common ground, find a new practitioner. You can also file a complaint.
Have you ever felt discriminated against by a doctor for being overweight? What kinds of comments have you heard? Do you think women have it worse than men? Leave your thoughts below.
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