UCLA Medical School thinks the word ‘obesity‘ — a legitimate medical term — is a ‘slur’ and that losing weight is a ‘hopeless endeavor’, and the ‘body positivity’ movement has been a thing for a while.
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This writer will level with you: for about a year, she’s been working very hard at losing weight. No, it’s not easy, but it’s also not a hopeless endeavor and — so far — she’s made significant progress. There is less pain, less fatigue, and just an overall sense of feeling better.
Being obese has a slew of proven health problems — arthritis, heart and respiratory issues, kidney disease — and the medical profession should know this and help patients lose weight.
But that’s how things would go if we lived in a sane world, and we don’t.
Which is why a doctor telling an obese patient to lose weight is now ‘fatphobic’ instead of MEDICAL CARE.
In one way, this is sad. Too many people have been told they are perfectly healthy the way they are and then reality hits when they start having health issues.
Not a damned thing.
Although, in fairness, the Body Mass Index (BMI) is also a very flawed metric, too. Athletes with 3% body fat but significant muscle can be labeled ‘morbidly obese’ under its standards.
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Agreed.
It’s hard work, so there’s always an excuse as to why people can’t do this (similar to the student loan debate).
Having difficult conversations is what a medical professional needs to do sometimes.
‘Phobic’ implies an irrational fear of something.
No one is irrationally afraid of fat people, but they are concerned about early morality.
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It can be that simple.
But it takes discipline and effort.
All of this.
Obesity isn’t racist, and this is also correct.
Imagine how the doctors feel.