study of more than 2000 doctors
found all of them held at least
some negative opinions of large
people, and all had an implicit –
or subconscious – preference for
thinner people over larger ones.
Having strong negative attitudes
towards weight could lead
clinicians to think it is socially
acceptable to express their
negative attitudes towards
people with high weight, even
when those people are their
patients.
If your doctor takes a
condescending or shaming tone
with you, speak up, says Juliet
James, 43, a freelance writer with
type 2. “It’s so hard to challenge
doctors – we’re the patients,
they’re the professionals.
They hold the education and
experience cards. But they do
not experience life in your body,”
she says. “If you think something
is ‘off ’ or you feel you’re being
mistreated, remember that
and also remember: they are
our employees! We don’t often
think of them that way, but it’s
true. They work for us. Why
on earth should we pay someone
to treat us badly, to ignore our
needs or wishes? We shouldn’t.”
Jill Weisenberger, dietitian
and a contributing editor to US
Diabetic Living magazine, agrees.
“Each person who goes into
a doctor’s or dietitian’s office
has the right to say what they
do and don’t want to focus on,
or say, ‘I’m not comfortable with
your suggestion.’ I know it’s hard,
but don’t allow yourself to be in
the situation where the provider
is the boss,” she says. “These are
supposed to be collaborative
relationships.” If you’re not
confident you can speak up,
bring a friend or family member
along for moral support.Focus more on health-
supportive behaviours,
and less on the scale
All the experts we spoke to
agreed that, while weight loss
may be beneficial to someone
with diabetes, healthy behaviours
such as getting regular exercise
and eating more nutritious foods
are more crucial. “Learn to love
high-quality food and recognise
how great you feel when you eat
it,” says Dushay. “People often
feel better when they focus on
the quality of their diet, eat more
mindfully, and increase their
exercise, especially vigorous
activity. I encourage my patients
to avoid focusing exclusively
on the number on the scale.” ■F
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112 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 diabetic living
weight loss