Communicating about weight – can we bring patients and healthcare professionals together in support? #obsmuk blog by Fiona Quigley
Communicating about weight – can we bring patients and healthcare professionals together in support? Obesity is a medical condition described as excess body weight in the form of fat. When accumulated, this fat can lead to severe health impairments. The prevalence of obesity across the world continues to rise, and this is now recognised as one of the most important public health problems facing the world today. Subsequently, conversations about obesity between patients affected by obesity and healthcare professionals is an important and necessary aspect of at least some of their encounters. However, it isn’t easy for healthcare professionals or for patients to talk about weight and we know there are many reasons for this. Research shows that healthcare professionals worry that talking about weight might upset patients, as if they are delivering bad news. In turn, patients of a higher weight can often feel shamed and blamed. More research is needed on how to raise