Over 2000 Posts Kristy Posted October 1, 2003 Over 2000 Posts Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 Maybe we should all write the editor.... k Physicians Not Immune From Anti-Fat Bias: A Newsmaker Interview With Marlene Schwartz, PhD Laurie Barclay, MD Sept. 30, 2003 ? Editor's Note: Even health professionals specializing in obesity tend to be biased against overweight individuals, according to the results of a study published in the September issue of Obesity Research. Although the level of bias is lower than in the general community, it is striking in a group trained in the genetic and environmental basis of obesity. In this study, 389 health professionals attending an international obesity conference in Quebec City completed the Implicit Associations Test and a self-administered questionnaire measuring explicit attitudes, personal experiences with obesity, and demographic characteristics. These clinicians and researchers associated the stereotypes lazy, stupid, and worthless with obese people. Bias was less in older individuals, in men, in those working directly with obese patients, in those who felt they understood the experience of obesity, and in those who had obese friends. To learn more about the implications of these findings, Medscape's Laurie Barclay interviewed lead author Marlene Schwartz, PhD, coordinator of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders and an associate research scientist in psychology at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The study was funded by the Rudd Institute, a nonprofit foundation studying anti-fat bias. Dr. Schwartz has no other financial disclosures. Medscape: What are the main study findings? Dr. Schwartz: The primary findings of the study are that health professionals who specialize in obesity exhibit an automatic anti-fat bias. The level of this bias is lower than [that] found in previous research with community samples; however, it is still significant. Medscape: Is there any explanation for the findings that younger people show greater bias than older people, or that men tend to be less biased than women? Dr. Schwartz: My hypothesis is that these findings are consistent with research that young women are the group at highest risk for body dissatisfaction. This is probably due to the fact that young women are also exposed to the greatest societal pressures to be thin, such as viewing fashion models or TV characters. Medscape: Were you surprised that health professionals tended to show the same bias as lay persons? What can be done to counteract this bias? Dr. Schwartz: The health professionals in our study were less biased than lay persons, which was encouraging, but the fact that they did have the bias did not surprise us. We all have grown up in the same society and are exposed to the same media messages and societal pressures to be thin. The fact that even health professionals have the bias reinforces how incredibly pervasive and powerful the stigma of obesity is in our society. Medscape: If understanding the experience of obesity and having obese friends tends to lessen bias, does this suggest that sensitivity training might be helpful? Dr. Schwartz: Thank you for asking this question ? the purpose of this study was not to simply say that professionals are biased; it is to move the field forward in finding ways to combat this bias. In fact, the North American Association for the Study of Obesity is the group that we studied, and it was their journal where the study was published. This group is courageous in acknowledging this bias and wants to be in the forefront of making changes to promote positive attitudes toward obese individuals. So, yes, sensitivity training might be helpful. Trying to understand the experience of an obese person ? for example, by wearing a "fat suit" for a day ? might help. I think that one way to change our thinking is to substitute another physical condition or medical problem for obesity when we think about what is appropriate. For example, in professional presentations, it is not uncommon for researchers to have unflattering pictures of obese people eating large amounts of food, or wearing clothes that are too tight, to illustrate their talk and be humorous. I've often thought that if we were at an AIDS conference it would never be tolerated to have pictures of emaciated people using intraveous drugs or having unprotected sex as a way to illustrate talks. The researchers associated with the Rudd Institute have been doing a number of studies to test different ways to change levels of bias, and we haven't yet found a solution. Ongoing research by Rebecca Puhl suggests that people are most likely to change their attitudes when they find out that others they respect do not hold those attitudes. In other words, knowing that anti-fat attitudes are not tolerated among respected groups may help people change their own attitudes. Medscape: Could some of the negative stereotypes endorsed by physicians in this study, such as linking "obese people" to "bad," be explained by the negative health consequences of obesity? Dr. Schwartz: This is an excellent question as well. Yes, some people say that they associate "fat people" with "bad" because it is bad to be fat; it's unhealthy in a number of ways. It is possible that this accounts for some of the effect, and that the positive versus negative valence of the adjective pairs was responsible for the effect more than the actual words themselves. However, I think about the research on anti-fat attitudes among young children (a study was published earlier this year by Latner & Stunkard in Obesity Research on this) and I'd be willing to bet anything that elementary school children do not discriminate against their overweight peers because they are thinking about their increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Medscape: Does weight bias among health professionals endanger obese patients or increase the risk of less-than-optimal care? Dr. Schwartz: This is an important question to study. We do not know the relationship between implicit attitudes and actual behavior around patients, but we hypothesize that our attitudes do affect care. Our hope is that increasing awareness will help all of us be more mindful of the assumptions we make about our patients ? such as whether or not we believe they will be compliant, or whether we believe they are doing all they can to take care of themselves ? are influenced by their size. As a psychologist, I have worked with patients who have made tremendous behavior changes in terms of exercise and healthy eating and haven't lost as much weight as their physicians expected. My patients felt their physicians didn't believe how hard they'd worked or didn't value the changes they'd made as much as the number on the scale. My message to physicians is to focus on the behaviors of their patients more than the number on the scale. We are all limited in how much absolute control we have over what that number will be. Medscape: Is there anything you'd like to add in closing? Dr. Schwartz: We have put the Implicit Association Test on the Web, and it would be great if you could encourage your readers to take the test themselves. It takes about 20 minutes and is at http://www.weightbias.org. This site links to [the Rudd Institute Web site], which describes the organization that funded this study and is committed to addressing obesity bias in our culture. What makes me panic about this study is that demonstrating anti-fat attitudes in health professionals specializing in obesity might legitimize these attitudes in the general population. These findings should not be used to justify anti-fat bias, but rather to point out that even physicians and other providers need to be aware of their own bias and take measures to counteract it. Obes Res. 2003;11:1033-1039 Reviewed by Gary D. Vogin, MD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Laurie Barclay, MD Writer for Medscape Medical News Medscape Medical News is edited by Deborah Flapan, assistant managing editor of news at Medscape. Send press releases and comments to news@webmd.net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkognita Posted October 2, 2003 Report Share Posted October 2, 2003 I found out many years ago that doctors aren't always nice to "fat" people. I worked for one who upon meeting me in the hallway would call me, "porky," say "you're puffing up a bit, aren't you?", and would belittle me about my weight on a daily basis. It badly warped my self-esteem, and I ended up quitting that job just to avoid the daily remarks!! Anita (still puffy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellamella Posted October 2, 2003 Report Share Posted October 2, 2003 Oh where do I begin with this subject???? I have soooo much to say about this topic but I will make it brief.. Simply stated, most doctors iv'e had contact with would rather not even touch a fat person for fear that somehow, the fat is contagious or something. ?I have had several down right shameful arguements with doctors about my weight. ?I think their attitude toward fat people is a direct result of them being plagued by some sort of fat phobic mania. ?They DO NOT value fat people as a human beings. ?You can tell this by the way they look at you, speak to you and about you to the nurses and not to mention the way the manage to revolve everything that is wrong with you on your weight. ?I am so sick of the biased doctors thinking that we deserve substandard health care because of what the scales read. ?I understand that a lot of obesity is from overeating, but still, the overeaters still deserve the best medical care when they need it. ?It just goes to prove that sadly society ?is making the forefathers out to be wrong, "All men are created equal" ?maybe it should read "All men are created equal providing you aren't fat" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member of the 1000 Post Club Victoria Posted October 17, 2003 Member of the 1000 Post Club Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 I nearly died because of this stupidity. More and more I think most doctors are just cold-hearted trust fund brats if they are from America especially who just had the science aptititude in high school and the cash to shell out for medical school. My doctor I have is nice but is from another country. He at least has some compassion. But I was reading one of my old journals and reading about the time in 1997 when I went to get my skin condition looked at...I was broken out in ulcers all over my body. They told me I had SCABIES which is a disease homeless people get due to hygience. I have showered everyday of my life except days Ive had the flu which is about 6 days in the past 10 years. To think of the social and other prejudices that backed up this disgusting diagnosis, I actually YELLED at the doctor who said it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member of the 1000 Post Club Victoria Posted October 17, 2003 Member of the 1000 Post Club Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 When I was 630lbs I was treated like a monster. Even now I can see the looks and know what they are thinking. When I had that weight gain I nearly had a nervous breakdown. I can tell when Im gaining weight or have higher water, just simply from the disgusted looks on the faces of other people. I know thats sick but I can catch it. When these ice hearted fat haters face the throne of God, they will have lot to answer for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 2000 Posts Valerie Posted October 17, 2003 Over 2000 Posts Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 Yes Victoria I agree, how hard it is to get diagnosed with anything other than obesity, when one is so sick. Doctor's and most people discriminate against obesity because the media has the stigma for being so thin. Look at all the girls suffering from bulimia and anorexia nervosa. When I was actively working as a nurse, I remember this 26 year old mother of 2 young children died in the ICU from anorexia, her heart just gave out. I will never forget that. Now my 11-1/2 year old daughter is starting to eat salads and lightly and I'm really going to keep an eye on her. Society has created this nightmare with the skinny models, just pick up a magazine. I was thin all my life till I got cushings and will never be that skinny person again. It is very hard for people to overlook obesity but it is a crime that medical doctors judge you instead of help you. Kristy, thanks for the article and it's good to see you posting back on the boards. We missed you. Valerie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natalie F Posted October 17, 2003 Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 Well THAT little article certainly explains a lot !! ? (including the attitude of my old EX GP! ) ? My lovely NEW GP is working WITH me to try and ASSIST me to lose the weight that I was concerned at having gained in the damn first place ! hehe.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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