Can diabetic educators be fat?

TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP · Apr 29, 2010

Behold the technical differences between "can" and "should". A diabetic educator can be overweight/obese; whether or not they should be is a separate issue.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 29, 2010

Would you want an out of shape personal trainer?

llg, PhD, RN · Apr 30, 2010

I would want a diabetes educator who is of average weight. I wouldn't want someone who was either extreme.

1. I wouldn't want someone significantly overweight -- because it would indicate to me that her techniques for diet and exercise management don't work. If she is unsuccessful at managing her own health, why should I believe she has any "answers" that would work for me?

2. On the other hand ... if she looked like she never struggled with weight ... then I would suspect that she would have trouble relating to me and my "real world" of struggles with maintaining a healthy diet and exercise lifestyle. For me, it is a struggle that I don't always win. Can a person who has never struggled relate to that?

So ... I'd prefer someone who struggles at times ... who can relate to my struggles ... but who is managing to be successful with techniques that she can teach me.

noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 30, 2010

When I was in school for nutrition my adviser, who was a registered dietitian, was significantly overweight. It always bothered me because I thought she should be a role model. I could see people holding a CDE to a similar standard.

Side note about the adviser: she always listed poor diet and lack of physical activity as the last cause of obesity in her powerpoint slides. In a class we were taking at the same time, we learned that poor diet and lack of physical activity was resposible for ~90% of obesity. YIKES!

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · Apr 30, 2010

I think it's BS! Just like some people I've heard say that nurses and every other healthcare worker should be thin. Well what I say is MAYBE they can't help it. We should know that some people can't physiologically help it. I have hypothyroidism so therefore I have a SLOW metabolism. I take my little pill everyday like I'm suppose to, get my levels checked every year and it's still hard to lose weight. I'm not blaming my thyroid 100% but for those that think this narrow minded...be a little considerate before thinking curvy people are lazy folks with nothing better to do then sit there and eat.

noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 30, 2010

I think it's BS! Just like some people I've heard say that nurses and every other healthcare worker should be thin. Well what I say is MAYBE they can't help it. We should know that some people can't physiologically help it. I have hypothyroidism so therefore I have a SLOW metabolism. I take my little pill everyday like I'm suppose to, get my levels checked every year and it's still hard to lose weight. I'm not blaming my thyroid 100% but for those that think this narrow minded...be a little considerate before thinking curvy people are lazy folks with nothing better to do then sit there and eat.

I never assume curvy folks are that way because of lifestyle choices because 10% of weight problems can be attributed to genetic factors or disease. For the other 90%, over consumption and inactivity can also be linked to depression and socioeconomic issues like most unhealthy foods are really affordable. In the end though, if I was a patient struggling with my weight or diabetes, I would be more inclined to respect and follow the advice of a CDE or RD who maintains a healthy weight. When I was in school for nutrition, I held myself to this standard and I was always very conscious of my weight. Since switching to nursing, I have felt a huge weight (no pun intended) lifted from my shoulders because I no longer obsess about my weight. I think RNs can dance along a wider range of BMIs while still maintaining the respect of patients.

CBsMommy · Apr 30, 2010

It depends on what you consider thin. Marilyn Monroe was a size 14 and that was considered healthy in her time. I do not agree with the "average" weights in the doctor's offices and certainly don't agree with what America thinks is a healthy weight. I think that it's healthy to have a little extra weight. Would I want someone who is 400 lbs talking to me about dieting, probably not. Would I mind someone a little curvier who is perfectly healthy talking to me about diabetes management, sure.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Apr 30, 2010

This is tricky, I have weight I need to lose myself now that I am able to function physically again. I gained the weight from medical problems and not being able to be active to begin with. I gave up smoking and my goal is to be at my goal weight before I start nursing. I am on the path. I don't begrudge people that are overweight, as I said, I have weight to lose myself, BUT I feel it doesn't send out a good message. Not just with Diabetes education but with nursing in general. We are promoting health care, yet I cringe when I see the group of nursing students in their scrubs smoking outside the building. Just seems so hypocritical.

I wouldn't go to an overweight personal trainer, I wouldn't see an overweight dietitian. (now my idea of overweight might not be the same as others, I don't go off a BMI and I like a fit yet curvy look) I also know not all skinny people are fit. So in our field I think it's important to "practice what we preach". It's my goal to fully get there before I am working as an actual nurse.

Again though, I don't hold any ill feelings for others that might not fit my ideal of the way would think it would be and I have met plenty of overweight nurses that were great. Shoot I might not be at my goals by the time I start. But I would hope that in this day and age and with all the problems regarding obesity, the nurses would at least WANT to start making the changes. Whether they teach diabetes or not. I know a lot of places are getting on board to help promote that in their staff as well and that is great. I know it's not an easy task, but I do think in order to be taken seriously, one does need to practice what they are teaching. I know I am pretty smart when it comes to diet and exercise, but until I apply it and display it, I probably wouldn't get far when trying to educate others. Now how great would it be once I reach my goals and I can say, "I have been there, I know what you are going through, I did the same thing and look at me now, it can be done"

The thing that always sticks out to me, I was a teenager about 14 and my parents found out I was smoking. I got in a lot of trouble and my dad (a smoker) was lecturing me and yelling at me about smoking all while SMOKING himself. So I didn't stop smoking and I didn't listen to a word he said. I figured what right did he have to talk to me about how bad smoking was when he was smoking himself. I kind of have always looked at this subject the same way.

Hopefully this makes sense.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Apr 30, 2010

It depends on what you consider thin. Marilyn Monroe was a size 14 and that was considered healthy in her time. I do not agree with the "average" weights in the doctor's offices and certainly don't agree with what America thinks is a healthy weight. I think that it's healthy to have a little extra weight. Would I want someone who is 400 lbs talking to me about dieting, probably not. Would I mind someone a little curvier who is perfectly healthy talking to me about diabetes management, sure.

I loathe the scales at the Dr. office. I am curvy and muscular. People (like the nurses at my Dr's office) are always shocked by my weight because I don't look it at all, personal trainers are surprised how strong I am. Add to that I have hips, a butt and am cursed with a big chest that stays the same whether I lose or gain weight. I just can't seem to win. But according to the Dr's thing my ideal weight is between 115 and 125. Well when I was 16 and pregnant (I sound like that MTV show LOL) with my first son I was very underweight and malnourished and I weighed 115. I had Dr's getting on me that I needed to gain more weight and I was a size 2. When I was a size 7/8 (after I had my 3 sons and when I was 23) I weighed around 155 and I got tons of compliments about how good I looked. When I said how much I weighed people were shocked. Yet according to the Dr's charts I was obese. I think it can be an Ok starting tool, but many factors need to be considered and body types need to be considered as well.

kcochrane · Apr 30, 2010

Something has been ticking over in my head since I last worked with a diabetic educator. This lady said that a good diabetic educator should not be overweight or fat as they are supposed to role model the appropriate behaviour for their clients. I can see what she means but also consider this is a very limited view. I was wondering what other peoples two cents were and whether they found clients listen more in these situations.

A diabetic educator is teaching a patient how to control thier DM, not necessarily how to be thin. What is appropriate for a diabetic to eat and what is ok for someone that isn't are two totally different things. Granted eating bad and not exercising enough could at some point cause you to develop this disease, but it might not. Honestly compliance is really going to depend on the person and their motivation. Once the tools are given to them, it is up to them to decide if they want to use them.

TXStudent78 · Apr 30, 2010

The bottom line here is that no one can affect change on someone else if they cannot affect it on themselves. A patient knows when they're being giving a line of healthy sounding information that is meaningless as opposed to something that the nurse is passionate about. If you never eat right or exersise you won't impact a patient by telling them to do it. It doesn't matter if you're fat or not. If you live a healthy life no doubt you will have noticed the benefits in your life (weight is just one of many) The patient will notice that you are talking about something you BELIEVE in and they will respond. They may not change, but you'll have a shot at making an impression on them.