Have The Obese Been Abandoned?
Over the years there have been several studies into attitudes towards obesity and the obese, and the results of these studies have shown some very worrying trends.Even though healthcareprofessionalsknow that obesity poses serious health risks, many people simple do notbelievethat overweight and obese people are interested in losing weight. Also, many doctors never raise the subject of weight with a patient as they know that it is a delicate subject for many people, and feel that it is better not to mention it.In 2003 a study by Dr. Foster found that more than half of the doctors questioned felt that their obese patients were simply lazy and would not lose weight even if they were given great help. In 2005 a study by Dr. Brandsma revealed that many patients picked up on this attitude and felt that their doctors just did not care about their condition.Many parents questioned by Dr. Edmunds in 2005 also felt that doctors were not providing adequate advice to help their children to lose weight and reverse obesity. Parents generally felt that doctors needed more training in dealing with obesity. This study concluded that many doctors are simple unsure of the best way to advise the overweight and obese.Many GPs feel that overweight and obese patients are simply frustrating to deal with and often have no motivation to lose weight, and many are also non-complaint, meaning that the doctors feel that they simply ignore most of the advice given anyway.
Doctors are well aware of the risks but many are so sure that most patients are unwilling to make the lifestyle changes required, with many patients actually not believing that their diet and lack of exercise is the cause of their problems, that doctors simply chose not to spend any more than the minimum amount of time dealing with such patients. Dr. Campbell noted in his paper that many doctors fail to follow up with patients after they have advised them to lose weight.Of course, the only way to really combat overweight problem and obesity is to determine! why peo ple are lacking motivation and often non-compliant. This requires therapy and group sessions managed by professionals that understand the root causes of obesity and are skilled in explaining, educating, motivating and guiding people in weight loss.So, what is the solution? There have been many initiatives over the years and yet cases of obesity are still rising in many countries (although there is a suggestion that obesity levels in male population in the USA may be leveling out).If doctors cannot provide adequate advice and support, then people are left to seek their own methods. As self motivation to change diet and start exercising is a major problem, many people are tempted to try quick fixes, fad diets, gadgets, pills and other products that areaggressivelymarketed to theoverweightand obese.With more contextual advertising online, more companies are showingtheirproducts specifically to people searching for quick ways to lose weight. We have mentioned many of the gimmicky weight loss fads over the years, but the market is so saturated with such items that many people feel that they simply must work. This of course is never the case. To lose weight people need to be motivated, need a diet plan and exercise plan or weight loss is just impossible. We are here to help, but we cannot help everyone. So, have the obese been abandoned by society? Are they now preyed upon by commercial enterprises?Have you sought professional medical help for your weight problems and been let down? If so, share your experiences below.
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