Writing is a conversation generator. Without facts and even opinions that differ from our own, we would not be challenged to think outside of the box and grow.
My recent article My Body Is Not My Resume: Exploring Nursing Dress Codes brought to light many thoughts about nurses and how we look. It seems that tattoos, hair color and a face that looks like a tackle-box (readers comments, not mine) are only the tip of this huge iceberg.
Common themes that emerged in the discussion boards were that of wrinkled scrubs, cartoon character scrubs, hair length, fingernail length and of course, the very delicate topic of body shaming.
If you do a general search online for "nurses fat", "nurses weight" or "nurses body image" you will be met with a barrage of data and opinions. In this article, we will explore the research, a bit of the opinions and why this is an important subject for us, as nurses, to discuss.
The Facts:
Dr. Richard Kyle and other researchers from London South Bank University and Edinburgh Napier University studied the prevalence of obesity among healthcare professionals in England.
The study, published in BMJ Open, examined data from more than 20,000 working-age adults who took part in a health survey in England between 2008-2012. The study was divided into 4 groups of participants:
- Nurses
- Other healthcare professionals
- Unregistered care workers
- People in non-health related jobs
There were a total of 422 nurses polled. Of that, 25.1% were obese, as defined as a BMI score of more than 30. Only 14.4% of other healthcare professionals were found to be obese with a BMI of more than 30. So, let's break it down: 1 in 4 nurses are obese. Think about your units or offices, is this right? You will likely agree when you put this into the context of nurses you know or work with.
Why Us?
Obesity is a pandemic. Nurses and other healthcare professionals are certainly not immune. In fact, the CDC recognizes that certain behaviors increase the risk of obesity. These behaviors include dietary patterns, physical activity, inactivity, medication use and other exposures. In a nutshell, diet and exercise matter.
Not sure about you, but I have not seen many busy hospital environments that offer breaks specifically for stress management and exercise. The reality is that some nurses may not even get to leave the unit to get a healthy meal or empty an overflowing bladder.
You may be stuck with eating from the vending machine. And, the idea of leaving for even a 10-minute brisk walk to increase your exercise during the day and clear your mind is probably making many of you laugh out loud.
Why Is It an Important Issue?
Health Concerns
As nurses, we know that obesity can lead to many other problems, such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes. In the study by Dr. Kyle, nearly half of the nurses polled were over the age of 45, which further complicates the comorbidities associated with obesity. Those of us who are over 40 know from experience that losing weight becomes even more difficult with age.
Safety Concerns
Can a nurse who is overweight keep up? On a normal day in a normal unit, the short answer is yes. But, what about in an emergent situation? Can they run to a code, climb on a gurney to continue chest compressions or squeeze into small spaces out in the field as a flight nurse or other emergency personnel?
The short answer, probably not, however, we are a team of nurses. Rarely are we alone in these emergent situations.
Does it affect ability? This is a resounding "NO". Nothing about our body size makes or breaks us as a nurse. Just as people with tattoos or body piercings will say that their decisions to have body art has no bearing on their ability to be a good nurse, nurses who are obese can use the same argument.
What About Skinny Shaming?
Is it the same? Can a nurse who is very skinny, either naturally or due to some external issue be shamed by other nurses, hospital staff and patients solely due to his or her size? Of course they can!
Can they handle the physical expectations of being a nurse? Many nurse job descriptions require the ability to lift 25-50 pounds on a regular basis. Can our skinny counterparts keep up?
My Body, My Prerogative
As Bobby Brown once famously sang, "I can do just what I feel, It's my prerogative". This is how many nurses feel these days when talks of body size, tattoos, hair color and piercings come up. Everyone has the right to do what's best for them and it is no one else's business.
Do you agree? Do you feel that there is any issue with fat-shaming/skinny-shaming in your nursing culture? Do you have an opinion about body size/body image you would be willing to share with others? Do you think the research is right and reflects the body-size makeup on your unit? We would love to hear!
