#EndWeightStigma

1. Just like this article says, patients who feel judged are more likely to skip medical appointments for things like critical health and cancer screenings.

2. Patients with #obesity need MORE not less medical support. Obesity is a chronic and complex disease with many complications.

3. If patients feel that they can’t engage with their doctor or nurse, they may be preyed up on by the multi-billion € #weightloss industry – including influencers – promising them “quick” or “amazing” results using apps, supplements, clubs, hypnosis, pills, teas, break-through psychology seminars – all with “testimonial videos” #ad

4. Medical misinformation that circulates online as a back-lash against #weightbias can be equally harmful to patients, like all medical misinformation.

5. It is true that some doctors are poorly trained to deal with patients with obesity. But since 60% of the Irish population is overweight – and 20% of children – these are conversations we have to be having.

6. Best advice to patients: If you can, raise your concern with your doc first (“I feel that you aren’t hearing my concern.”). A good relationship with your doc is important for health. If it is to the point you don’t/won’t go to doc when you need to – an try to find one that you feel “gets you”. With a doctor shortage, I admit: it’s easier said than done.

7. Best advice to colleagues: @worldobesity and @obesitycanada have great online CPD resources (much of it free) to get up to speed. At least half of your patients probably need you to be in their corner.

8. Obesity treatments. We need BOTH patients and doctors advocating for accessible affordable evidence-based #weightmanagement OPD and better community-level care, including access to qualified dietitians, physios, psychologists, and facilitate GP prescribing of drugs like #semaglutide.

A win in this article? For once, the media did not use a stock photo that was weight-stigmatising for an article on #obesity. (If you follow, you know it’s a thing I point out alot.)