The War On Fat - Page 9

That's a myth, a lie, or outright hippie propaganda... take your pick.

I'm a "huge fat guy", and have been to ther hospital for injury a few times, (mainly stitches from doing stupid things, not weight related crap) but it's been over 15 years since I've been there for illness.

I average one sick day at work every second year.

What are your stats like?

Crazed, I have battled weight my whole life, I have been a nurse over half my life, I am 48 and finally realized why I overeat, and that DIETS dont work, its a lifestyle, and just like my choice to live for God, I dont always feel the need to "preach" what I believe, I just live it, if someone asks I will tell them what "I" believe. I have started eating a whole new way, just whole, real food, nothing processed and have lost 22 lbs in 3 months but I feel so much better, its not a diet but a new way of life, but, most people skinny, fat, medical, non medical ridicule me on my food choices, LOL Go figure. Whatever, it is what it is. But, I want to address a statement you made, "I've noticed that a good deal of the arguments that I've heard is fat is unhealthy, yet no one seems to see fat as being a symptom and not the disease" You, my dear, have the answer, right there, you wrote it. So, figure out why you eat the way you do, what you are feeding, hurt, disappoinment, boredom.... this list is endless, trust me I know. But, when YOU find the symptom for yourself you will find the answer. I am excited for you. Be happy, be healthy, dont worry about the number, just get comfortable in your own skin. We are always going to have chubby, obese, morbidly obese, super obese...on an on, I just wanna be comfortable and non judgemental. I am here to love and care for people not make thier lives harder by shoving their faults down their throats....just my opinion, and we all know what opinions are like...

I'd be interested in the study that found this, particularly what other factors were controlled for when making the comparison? Did it control for days of missed work? How did it control for the quality of PERFORMANCE of the "same" skill set? (e.g. I know that as I gained weight, I became slower, which I didn't realize until I began to lose weight and saw how much faster I could do some things.) There are just so many factors that go into deciding whether someone "deserves" a pay raise and/or promotion.

That said, I would not be surprised to find that there is at least some degree of discrimination (whether conscious or unconscious) against obese employees. I just wonder what percentage of that pay differential is due to discrimination vs other factors.

If you are 100 lbs overweight, and a nurse, do you not think that it is hypocrisy to try and promote healthy eating habits as part of any preventative teaching to your patients.How would they take you serious if you try to tell them to stay within a healthy weight range.I just find this so funny.I have worked in many areas and have had to look after many obese patients.Lifting,dragging,tearining myself to pieces.You may end up on the other side with a nurse trying to move your fat ass around .Be a good example to your patients.I would also like to point out that I have worked side by side with many obese nurses.They to not carry their workload like a healthy nurse would.

There is a campaign called HEALTH AT EVERY SIZE which is in total agreement with this article. I recommend it! This blatant prejudice needs to be addressed!

Well...

http://www.bus.iastate.edu/emullen/m...%20article.pdf

about 3/4s of the way down is the $6700 part, and it attributes it to the National Organization for Women foundation, but no specific realease (just "NOW Foundation nd")

Googling NOW Foundation 6700 didn't bring anything remotely connected, so I'm thinking it;s just one of those made up BS figures.

You may need to do a little more studying on current obesity research that is finding that it may be considerably more complex than that.

"It is my professional responsibility to discuss the risks associated with unhealthy behaviors. I have probably lost patients over it. I don't care."

While I can see where you are coming from, I wonder how effective this approach can be if you are losing patients? Obesity, after all, is just one risk factor. Maybe you could help your patients achieve what they are actually capable of? It isn't as if most obese people have never tried to diet! The original post, for example, is from someone who lost an extraordinary amount of weight and gained it back. Yes, you have a responsibility to discuss risks with your patients, but don't we all also have a responsibility to evaluate the effectiveness of our interventions? Who is benefiting from the hard line you are taking?

You know.... reading the anti-fat attitudes posted here has given me an idea...

I'm going to ignore any possible medical reason, and just assume peoples phyisical appearance / state is by choice.

Next time I see a person in a wheelchair, I'm going to call them lazy and tell them to get off their ass and walk...

Next bald kid I see near oncology, I'm going to blast them for obviosuly being a racist skinhead.

pursuing the issue on hand, there comes a time that one has to accept their natural body dna. in order words their heritage, let me explain myself, it's like having high cholesterol even though you exercise and keep a sensible diet you still overweight and not sastifying your doctors suggestive bmi number. having said that, one also has to consider other factors that may predispose you to be overweight. however, i'm not suggesting by any means that this is an excuse, for those to stop their healthy regimen and eat till they drop. furthermore, the media, society, magazines, commercials, and lately some facilities are included on the war of fat. although, i don't approve on how the media portraits the overweight individuals, they are always the lonely characters in any given scenario or the loser. moreover, as a seasoned nurse i have encountered very healthy over weight people, and on the other hand some thin individuals with a cholesterol of 295 extremely unhealthy. unquestionably, what i'm trying to convey is that we as a society must stop the madness and embrace other people for what they are, don't place judgement base on their appearances. with that said, i'm aware that we as nurses must set an example to our pts. however, without losing ourselves and portraying a mirage base on society's image of beauty and health, which can lead to self destruction if one can't obtain societies approval. in conclusion, we must accept reality that humans come in many forms, shapes, and color, and stop the cycle of the nazi regiment if you will, in order to have a society of & barbie's and ken's.