Why are so many of us over weight?

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Nov 14, 2005

If you are posting this because you are worried about your weight and employment as a nurse, do not be worried. Being overweight is not an issue until it causes problems with the nurses' physical activity to the point where a patient would be in jeopardy. People are overweight because they eat too much--it's that simple. Lack of exercise or not eating healthy foods will not by themselves cause a person to be overweight.

RazorbackRN, BSN, RN · Nov 14, 2005

Jess, I love your quote!

tlhubbard · Nov 14, 2005

Heh. For one, if you're a nursing student, watch out, the scale may not be so friendly to you once you graduate. I spent so much time sitting down reading that I gained 16 pounds in two years. Nursing textbooks do NOT fit on the cute little plastic book holder on most exercise machines.
Second, I remember this from "Nursing Against the Odds"- Too much work stress with not enough down time causes additional deposition of abdominal fat. I'm not going to quote here but it's in there somewhere. If you haven't read it, read it, it's good.
So there - besides lack of time to eat healthy while at work- are at least two good reasons why some nurses are fluffier than others.

Oh Brother!! Are you ever right!!! I found I gained 20 pounds over a 3 1/2 college run. Plus, the extra stress does encourage that nasty cortisol. I was thin and cute when I started nursing, now, just cute :)

Also, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who has a treadmill that wouldn't hold a nursing book. GEEZ!!!

Also, watch the study group food. We use to bring ANYTHING cream cheese based to our group (great group by the way). However a steady diet of cheese balls, bagels and cream cheese and cheesecake just doesn't help the waistline.

Nurses are great people that make their patients/work their priority, so we eat horrible diets so we can stay accessible to our patients. We are sacrificers--what can we say:rolleyes:

onconurseRT · Nov 14, 2005

My thoughts are that when you are a student you get many messages about nurses and the profession of nursing and what "text book nursing" is as well. You are being flooded in nursing school with what the "ideal situation" is going to be. It is very confusing and chances are really good that you will question situations that are similar to this in the future because reality will not follow the ideal situation.

Just remember that nurses are humans just like anyone else. We (nurses) were taught a lot of things in nursing school but we were never meant to be above the human level and above the human experiences because if we were, we would not be good nurses and would not be available to help patients in they way they need it. We (nurses) are one step from that "patient role" all the time. We experience illnesses, accidents, emergencies and psychological problems as well.

I also question how a nurse can complete discharge instructions with smoking cessation information to a cancer patient after the nurse just finished off her last cig. outside. The public does look to us as "role models" and therefore I believe that nurses should be more aware of their overall presentation at work and in the public, however, the nurse that is genuine, kind, respectful, and intelligent is the one I would want taking care of me... I would not care what size his/her scrubs were.

angelladyclaire · Nov 14, 2005

They say there are no silly questions and I try to be supportive of all who post their wonderings here, but come on! Umm... why does my dentist have terrible halitosis? :confused: (he does have beautiful teeth, though). Just as there are overweight nutritionists, honest politicians, mentally unstable psychiatrists, etc... not everyone fits the ideal or expected type for their occupation. I get the feeling from the fact that you ask such a question that you have never known what it is like to be overweight. As an overweight nurse, I can honestly say that I do not feel like a hypocrite as most of what I do in a shift does not involve instructing people on diet and exercise. I am too busy making sure they are recieving their treatments and achieving adequate pain control. I really don't think my patients are disturbed by my weight when I hand them their norco. So to refrain from :deadhorse , I will end this post.

KatieBell · Nov 14, 2005

I'm thinking back to the last few jobs I've held. We had always about 5-6 overweight nurses out of 100. Maybe it is the pace of the ED that requries us to run, but not too many of us could be considered fat.

But secondly- NONE of my job descriptions ever discussed being a good role model. Sorry but that is just a bunch of hooey sold to us in school.

truern · Nov 14, 2005

I say we shoot all the fat nurses....and the ugly ones....and the short ones...well, and the tall ones, too...and those with halitosis (thanks angelladyclaire..hehe).

Let's just leave all the perfect people to care for the patients.

Sarcasm intended.

Danianne · Nov 14, 2005

I agree who cares what size somesone's scrubs are as long as they love being a nurse and do their job like they love every minute of it who really cares....besides I am a little stick and I wish that I had a little more leverage at times :rolleyes:

eeeep what did I do I got this funny little warning thingy:eek:

I didn't mean to I am sorry

Felixa · Nov 14, 2005

I have worked in mental health for a while, first as admin and then as a nursing assistant and now as a student. I have also noticed that there seem to be a disproportionate number of nurses who appear obese.

Yes, there are overweight people in all walks of life, but out of all the different professions I work with - psychiatrists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, admin, psychologists, psychotherapists and nurses, the nurses are more likely to be not merely overweight, but obese-looking (obviously I don't know people's actual BMIs). (Administrators come a respectable second, but I would say they tend to be overweight rather than obese).

Myself I was obese and am currently overweight, so I'm not throwing any stones here - it's an observation, and it's a bit worrying given the health implications.

I think shift work has a lot to do with it - when you work from 7 till 2:30 or 1:30 to 9:30 with only a tea break if anything, you're bound to dig into the biscuits (cookies for those americans among us!), and eat a larger meal when we finish because we're hungrier. And night shifts can be dangerous as well - it's so easy to comfort eat to get you through the night.

But also, I think that nursing is a career where weight is not as important as in some other careers. It matters more what your skills are, and how you are with people. So people who have a weight problem may be more attracted to nursing.

My third point would be that compared to the other careers I have mentioned (excepting admin, again), nurses tend to come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, which have a higher proportion of overweight and obese people.

(sorry, I know that these will not be popular observations!!)

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Nov 14, 2005

I work 40 hours a week. Sometimes--no, a lot of times--more.

I have chronic pain. But I keep working.

I have had a couple of killer illnesses and survived. And I keep working.

I regard myself as victorious.

Because I'm alive.

And I can still go to work and help others stay alive.

And I guarantee you that the patient that I did chest compressions on last week won't remember what I looked like, or the other members of the Code team.

But I remember quite clearly when the doc told us to stop compressions because we had a pulse.

Nobody kicked me out of that room for being fat. No one complained that my clothes were wrinkled, my hair wasn't perfect, or that I didn't have designer underwear on, a made-up face and fake nails.

Role model? You bet I am. In all the stuff that really counts in life.

cn2007rn · Nov 14, 2005

If we are supposed to be good role models when it comes to health, why is it that so many of us are overweight? I'm just a student, so I don't know much, but I want to know what everyone else thinks about this!! Is it because there is no time to exercise with 12 hours shifts, and no time to find healthy food because there are such short lunch breaks? These are what I am guessing, but I want to know from real nurses why all of y'all think so many of your co-workers are overweight. (I don't mean to offend anyone with this post!!) Just curious!! Thanks for any opinions you have.

Have you ever heard of genetics???????

Big hips and fat bellies don't always come from eating too many twinkies or sitting on your can!!! Please, new subject please!!!!!:angryfire

HitmanCFYA · Nov 14, 2005

Have you ever heard of genetics???????
Big hips and fat bellies don't always come from eating too many twinkies or sitting on your can!!! Please, new subject please!!!!!:angryfire

It's all simple math. Expend less than you take in, and you're going to put weight on.

Bad Genetics+Healthy Eating+Exercise=in shape person

Good Genetics+unhealthy eating+sedentary lifestyle=fat person.

Bad Genetics+unhealthy eating+sedentary lifestyle=episode of Montel as 1000 lb. person