Doctors and Weight Talks

[Scarlett]

Our doctor was always so helpful to ds19 about weight.  This doctor has lost and kept off 100 pounds.  He showed ds his weight tracker....the ups and downs and plateaus. He told him it is not a straight shot with no setbacks.  He even told ds that he thinks he set a record for most weight gain ever on a 7 day cruise.  And how it took him 3 months to lose what he gained in 7 days.  
 

He was very kind but also no nonsense.....he told ds that this weight would kill him prematurely for sure.  And that it is easier to get control of it in your teens than later on in life. 

[City Mouse]

I do think that doctors feel obligated to address weight.  The same way my children’s pediatrician asked about guns in the home at every visit, and my DH is a police officer, so we do have guns. None of the pediatrician appointments ever had anything to do with a gun injury.

There are so many more factors that play into obesity than just diet, and many doctors don’t address those issues. I come from a long line of morbidly obese, and even super morbidity obese. My mother’s brother dies in his 60’s directly due to complications of his extreme obesity. He was placed into a nursing home in his early 60’s because his family couldn’t care for him at home. Even with all that, my mother always as a reason that any attempt at weight loss will not work for her. She was approved for weight loss surgery twice but decided not to have it done because she was not willing to change how she eats post surgery. She will not acknowledge that she is very close to having to go to a facility due to her weight impacting her ability for self care. She thinks that her children will step up and take care of her so that she can stay at home, but we are all too frustrated with her and will not do that. (I know that sounds harsh, but there really are many issue beyond her weight). We all agree that when she is no longer able to toilet independently that is the line we will not cross. She has never made a serious attempt to lose weight, and the extreme weight has caused physical and medical issues. 

In spite of my feeling about my mother, I know that there is a huge psychological and or genetic component to weight. There had to be. Most of my cousins on my mother’s side are all obese. Both of my sister’s are obese.  I Have been obese, and I only recently got back down to merely “overweight” BMI. I acknowledge that fighting weight gain will always be an issue for me, but I feel like my only options are to give up caring and become like my mother, or know that it is something that I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. I know a lady who is an admitted alcoholic who has been sober for 15 years. While she no longer drinks, she says she still has to fight sometimes to not start drinking. I feel that way about food sometimes- I have to completely avoid certain trigger foods and or situations or I lose control. 
 

All that being said, I guess I have been lucky that I have not had any issues with doctors dismissing medical complaints due to my weight. Well, there was this one doctor once who did kind of, but he did order the tests that I asked for. He was not my regular doctor, and I only went to him that one time.

Edited November 4, 2020 by City Mouse

[Jean in Newcastle]

2 hours ago, Scarlett said:

Our doctor was always so helpful to ds19 about weight.  This doctor has lost and kept off 100 pounds.  He showed ds his weight tracker....the ups and downs and plateaus. He told him it is not a straight shot with no setbacks.  He even told ds that he thinks he set a record for most weight gain ever on a 7 day cruise.  And how it took him 3 months to lose what he gained in 7 days.  
 

He was very kind but also no nonsense.....he told ds that this weight would kill him prematurely for sure.  And that it is easier to get control of it in your teens than later on in life. 

Scsrlett, your son is young. Young people might not have been taught good eating and exercise habits or might not have listened to that advice. So simple habits can work for them. But people who have battled with their weight for years have tried all that already. I don’t eat gluten, sugar, soda, dairy, carbs (ie I eat low carb) etc. I would love to be able to cut out all the foods that I already don’t eat and have it be a simple solution. 
 

This btw is why people are griping about doctors in this context. Most don’t have any more training than you get from “healthy living” articles. Fortunately my doctor realizes that even though he’s a very educated and good doctor. He’s recommended that I go to a specialist (in weight loss, not surgery). My insurance refused.   
 

I do want a lower bmi. But I know that my bmi has nothing to do with my character and can’t be fixed easily because I have tried all the easy fixes. I eat healthy because healthy food has good nutrition. I exercise because it is good for my body to move and be strong. If weight loss was my only frustrating goal I would have given up long ago. 

[wintermom]

I got the "weight talk" from my doctor last year. I'm 53, 5'7" and my weight had increased from 130 to 135. I was stunned that she did this long, drawn out talk. I'm incredibly active, eat very healthy and there was absolutely no reason for it due to other health factors. It was like she was on a pre-recorded automated talk. 

The funniest bit was that I went home and told my dh, who has the same dr and is obese, and she has never given him that same, detailed talk (I told him the details). If I didn't love my dr so much I'd have left. It was bizarre.

So, of course I was stressed about losing 5 lbs, and exercising like crazy that summer. My weight stayed exactly the same. I don't think I lost a pound. If anything, I gained weight from the water retention due to muscle repair and increased muscle mass. 

All this to say, if you like your dr otherwise, then take these talks with a grain of salt. Who knows what is going through the mind of your dr at that precise moment in time. 

Edited November 4, 2020 by wintermom

[freesia]

46 minutes ago, wintermom said:

I got the "weight talk" from my doctor last year. I'm 53, 5'7" and my weight had increased from 130 to 135. I was stunned she did this long, drawn out talk. I'm incredibly active, eat very healthy and there was absolutely no reason for it due to other health factors. It was like she was on a pre-recorded automated talk. 

The funniest bit was that I went home and told my dh, who has the same dr and is obese, and she has never given him that same, detailed talk (I told him the details). If I didn't love my dr so much I'd have left. It was bizarre.

So, of course I was stressed about losing 5 lbs, and exercising like crazy that summer. My weight stayed exactly the same. I don't think I lost a pound. If anything, I gained weight from the water retention due to muscle repair and increased muscle mass. 

All this to say, if you like your dr otherwise, then take these talks with a grain of salt. Who knows what is going through the mind of your dr at that precise moment in time. 

That’s crazy, but it’s happened to me. My BMI is normal. I do have insulin resistance.  Every time they call with my blood sugar results ( which are normal right now), they say, “Keep up with the exercise and weight loss.”  I’m like, what???  It’s like a script. 

[ktgrok]

5 hours ago, Scarlett said:

Our doctor was always so helpful to ds19 about weight.  This doctor has lost and kept off 100 pounds.  He showed ds his weight tracker....the ups and downs and plateaus. He told him it is not a straight shot with no setbacks.  He even told ds that he thinks he set a record for most weight gain ever on a 7 day cruise.  And how it took him 3 months to lose what he gained in 7 days.  
 

He was very kind but also no nonsense.....he told ds that this weight would kill him prematurely for sure.  And that it is easier to get control of it in your teens than later on in life. 

I definitely think it is easier at your son's age - the metabolism is faster, and the longre you are obese, the more damage to the metabolic systems. He's probably still close enough in time to a previous, healthier set point that he may very well stay at this new, lower weight. Or he might regain it all, and then some. We don't know. 

Thre are SOME who lose a lot of weight and keep it off, but they are about 2% of those who try. 

[rebcoola]

I don't mind talking about my weight or having it addressed.  When the answer to basically every problems is lose weight it's frustrating.  Than it's compounded by overly simple help  like eat veggies when you want a snack. That's ridiculous.  

[Tanaqui]

Quote

I feel bad for people who struggle with their weight.  I do think a doctor has an obligation to address it.  Obesity is a serious health problem and it makes every other health problem worse.

 

I stopped reading the thread to reply to this, so sorry if I repeat something:

In the past year, I have read two articles, personal stories, about people who nearly died because their doctors didn't take their weight loss seriously, only complimented them on "getting to a healthy BMI". One of them had a physical malady, the other a serious eating disorder.

Every single month I read one or more articles about people who get seriously ill or worse because when they go to the doctor for help, the doctor can only yap on and on about how they need to lose weight - their physical illnesses are not taken seriously because the doctor has decided it MUST be the fact that they're overweight.

I personally know multiple people who have lost family members because those family members did not go to the doctor for routine care because they didn't want to endure another shaming lecture on their weight, and thus they didn't have their serious progressive illness such as cancer caught. One's mother was actually told "I don't want to see you in here again until you lose 20 pounds", and her mother therefore never went back because she couldn't lose the 20 pounds.

Does being overweight actually contribute to health problems? Or does prejudice and shame about weight cause doctors to dismiss the health problems of overweight people until those overweight people conveniently drop dead or, anyway, stop coming in to see them?

Has your behavior ever been changed by concerned people telling you that you need to stop doing what you're doing and get help?

[Scarlett]

49 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

 

I stopped reading the thread to reply to this, so sorry if I repeat something:

In the past year, I have read two articles, personal stories, about people who nearly died because their doctors didn't take their weight loss seriously, only complimented them on "getting to a healthy BMI". One of them had a physical malady, the other a serious eating disorder.

Every single month I read one or more articles about people who get seriously ill or worse because when they go to the doctor for help, the doctor can only yap on and on about how they need to lose weight - their physical illnesses are not taken seriously because the doctor has decided it MUST be the fact that they're overweight.

I personally know multiple people who have lost family members because those family members did not go to the doctor for routine care because they didn't want to endure another shaming lecture on their weight, and thus they didn't have their serious progressive illness such as cancer caught. One's mother was actually told "I don't want to see you in here again until you lose 20 pounds", and her mother therefore never went back because she couldn't lose the 20 pounds.

Does being overweight actually contribute to health problems? Or does prejudice and shame about weight cause doctors to dismiss the health problems of overweight people until those overweight people conveniently drop dead or, anyway, stop coming in to see them?

Has your behavior ever been changed by concerned people telling you that you need to stop doing what you're doing and get help?

I think both things can co exist.  People can be shamed in to not going to the doctor.....which is of course terrible.  And doctors could miss an illness by not taking weight loss seriously....but in addition to that obesity does cause health problems.  Is that really in question?  Obviously not to every single obese person at the same time or in the same way....but just like with my son his weight caused high blood pressure.  It can cause joints to break down and the heart to over work and it can cause  diabetes. 

[ktgrok]

5 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

I think both things can co exist.  People can be shamed in to not going to the doctor.....which is of course terrible.  And doctors could miss an illness by not taking weight loss seriously....but in addition to that obesity does cause health problems.  Is that really in question?  Obviously not to every single obese person at the same time or in the same way....but just like with my son his weight caused high blood pressure.  It can cause joints to break down and the heart to over work and it can cause  diabetes. 

There is definitely a right and wrong way to go about it. The difference in attitude from my bariatric doctor's office to a standard primary care doctor is amazing. The bariatric doctor doesn't blame you, or shame you, or make jokes about it. They treat it as a medical condition, like arthritis or asthma. 

2 minutes ago, kand said:

 

Yep. My dd was probably at the top of “normal” BMI and then lost a bunch of weight through very unhealthy restricting, which triggered an eating disorder (that’s often how an eating disorder gets triggered—it’s a shift that happens due to metabolic change, not a choice). 

Anothre area we are just starting to figure out!

[Terabith]

I was skinny growing up, and then when I was 22, I gained 70 lbs in six months, despite eating less than 1200 calories a day and exercising two hours a day.  I kept begging doctors to check my thyroid, and they kept saying I was too young and said I was just depressed.  Which, I was.  Also, I was constantly cold and my hair was falling out and my skin had become scaly.  Finally they did a TSH, and it was something crazy like 7.  But even on synthroid, I couldn't lose weight.  I've gained a bit more over the years.  I aim for 10,000 steps a day and eat reasonably healthfully but not obsessively.  I am morbidly obese, but I also have pretty severe depression and anxiety and I have major worries about weight loss surgery affecting my metabolism of my antidepressants.  But I'm pretty healthy, although my blood pressure does run high when I'm anxious but is textbook normal otherwise.  

[Tanaqui]

Quote

but in addition to that obesity does cause health problems.  Is that really in question?

Yes, it is. I question that. I know, and know of, far too many people who have had their serious illnesses ignored in favor of "just lose weight". Until and unless we deal with this problem, I don't think we really do have the data to say that weight loss is associated with this or that regardless of the doctor's attitudes.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Obesity can be a contributing factor to some health problems. It doesn’t always contribute. And contribute doesn’t necessarily mean cause. 
 

People can be thin and unfit. People can be heavy and fit. I have had some very fit physical fitness instructors who were not morbidly obese but not thin either. 
 

I think that doctors should address weight as part of the holistic picture of health. But I think that most of the time that should be in the form of directing people to those who actually understand the complexities of weight loss. And I don’t think that it should be emphasized over other health issues. 

Edited November 5, 2020 by Jean in Newcastle

[Scarlett]

29 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

Yes, it is. I question that. I know, and know of, far too many people who have had their serious illnesses ignored in favor of "just lose weight". Until and unless we deal with this problem, I don't think we really do have the data to say that weight loss is associated with this or that regardless of the doctor's attitudes.

I am pretty sure we do have data that shows obesity causes a myriad of health problems.  That is a separate issue from health problems being ignored.  

[Tanaqui]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

I am pretty sure we do have data that shows obesity causes a myriad of health problems.  That is a separate issue from health problems being ignored.  

 

No, it's not.

When doctors tend to try to "solve" health problems by saying "just lose weight" without even considering that the problem might not be caused by weight, then that's not a separate issue, and it also contaminates all the data.

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, Tanaqui said:

 

No, it's not.

When doctors tend to try to "solve" health problems by saying "just lose weight" without even considering that the problem might not be caused by weight, then that's not a separate issue, and it also contaminates all the data.

I just can’t see how that is true.  My son had high bloodpressure at age 16.  The doctors treated it while also saying, if you lose the weight you will most likely come off this med.  That happened. 

[Tanaqui]

4 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

I just can’t see how that is true.  My son had high blood pressure at age 16.  The doctors treated it while also saying, if you lose the weight you will most likely come off this med.  That happened. 

You're relying on one case. That's anecdata, and not terribly relevant to most people, because most people do not have high blood pressure at the age of 16.

It's not just anecdata, it's anecdata that conveniently manages to dovetail with what you already like to believe.

Thin people get better medical care than fat people. This is true in the aggregate, although some individual cases may vary. Thin people also, on the whole, get treated better by society than fat people - more access to higher paying jobs and the like.

Better medical care is associated with better health outcomes. Better income and better jobs are associated with better health outcomes.

Until you can account for this in a population, you don't have anything valid to look at. I know our society likes to think we do - but that's because we're all really obsessed with thinness in America, haven't you noticed?

Edited November 5, 2020 by Tanaqui

[Scarlett]

14 hours ago, Tanaqui said:

You're relying on one case. That's anecdata, and not terribly relevant to most people, because most people do not have high blood pressure at the age of 16.

It's not just anecdata, it's anecdata that conveniently manages to dovetail with what you already like to believe.

Thin people get better medical care than fat people. This is true in the aggregate, although some individual cases may vary. Thin people also, on the whole, get treated better by society than fat people - more access to higher paying jobs and the like.

Better medical care is associated with better health outcomes. Better income and better jobs are associated with better health outcomes.

That is the one I am up close and personal to.  It is not the only case I know of.  Like you are also  relying on cases you know.

i can’t believe I am defending the position that obesity causes major health problems.  

Edited November 5, 2020 by Scarlett

[Tanaqui]

4 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

That is the one I am up close and personal to.  It is not the only case I know of.  Like you are also  relying on cases you know.

i can’t believe I am defending the position that obesity cases major health problems.  

I'm defending getting an accurate data profile, which we don't have.

Here's an alternative hypothesis for your stepson - and I'm not saying this *is* the case, just suggesting that it's possible: being overweight in our society is stressful. Being very overweight or fat is more stressful than being just a little overweight, especially when the whole family gets involved. Stress leads to high blood pressure. Lose weight, be less stressed. The entire family is happy, this leads to even less stress. Less stress = lower blood pressure.

Hey, did you know that it takes more effort to be the same weight today as it did in 1980? Two people, same height/sex, same exercise routine and diet - but the one in 1980 weighed less than the one today. I wonder why that is.

Edit: Fixed URL! https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/09/why-it-was-easier-to-be-skinny-in-the-1980s/407974/

And it's not just humans, it's animals too. Not pets - obviously we might all give Fido more snacks now than we did in the 80s - but lab and zoo animals, which are on controlled diets. What's up with that?

Edited November 5, 2020 by Tanaqui

[Scarlett]

21 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

I'm defending getting an accurate data profile, which we don't have.

Here's an alternative hypothesis for your stepson - and I'm not saying this *is* the case, just suggesting that it's possible: being overweight in our society is stressful. Being very overweight or fat is more stressful than being just a little overweight, especially when the whole family gets involved. Stress leads to high blood pressure. Lose weight, be less stressed. The entire family is happy, this leads to even less stress. Less stress = lower blood pressure.

Hey, did you know that it takes more effort to be the same weight today as it did in 1980? Two people, same height/sex, same exercise routine and diet - but the one in 1980 weighed less than the one today. I wonder why that is.

Edit: Fixed URL! https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/09/why-it-was-easier-to-be-skinny-in-the-1980s/407974/

And it's not just humans, it's animals too. Not pets - obviously we might all give Fido more snacks now than we did in the 80s - but lab and zoo animals, which are on controlled diets. What's up with that?

I highly highly doubt it.  Dss and I had come to an understanding. He knew my feelings.  He knew we would give him all the help he wanted.  And he knew he needed to lose weight.  We no longer discussed it.  So I don’t think his blood pressure went down to normal because his step mom stopped ragging him.  His blood pressure went to normal because he lot 70 pounds.

[Joker]

I am considered obese and am extremely healthy. Blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol, etc. are all great. Dh is actually about five pounds underweight and his cholesterol stinks. I’d much rather be my fat, healthy self than deal with what he’s doing. I eat healthy and exercise but I’m still a good 50 pounds overweight. I’m really healthy though and my skinny, runner dh is the one with the health issues. 
 

Also, if we’re going to go with anecdotes, my skinny grandparents all died early but my obese grandparents lived long, heathy lives. My cousins and aunts/uncles on one side of the family are all also very obese but freakily healthy and live a ridiculously long time. I firmly believe genetics mean much more than weight. 

[Tanaqui]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

I highly highly doubt it.  Dss and I had come to an understanding. He knew my feelings.  He knew we would give him all the help he wanted.  And he knew he needed to lose weight.  We no longer discussed it.  So I don’t think his blood pressure went down to normal because his step mom stopped ragging him.  His blood pressure went to normal because he lot 70 pounds.

I didn't actually say you did or didn't nag him. Wasn't even thinking it. It's irrelevant, because you obviously cared even if you never said a word, and so did every rando who saw him walking down the street (or at least he wouldn't be unreasonable in thinking people were criticizing him). I was talking about psychological stress, as in, the stress that comes with being overweight in America. It's kinda inherent in the system.

Edited November 5, 2020 by Tanaqui

[ktgrok]

I think we do know that excess fat, when it is the type around organs, is a risk factor for health issues. We know it is biologically active, secreting hormones. But "thin" people can have excess visceral fat only visible on body scans, and some obese people have mostly the other kind, the surface fat. 

But even that can cause wear and tear on the joints, back strain from lack of alignment from being pulled forward, etc. The rest of it, we don't know how it all works. We are still studying it. We know that some changes that go with weight loss happen after bariatric surgery even before the weight is lost - but we don't know why. Gut biome is definitely a key player, but there are others. 

[TravelingChris]

Somehow my quotes got lost.

BUt here are some responses-  Obese and morbidly obese are totally different animals.  Overweight and lower range obese people actually have better survival rates.  Yes, as Ktgrok said, there are obvious affects on joints and bones- but one of those is increased bone mass too.  Which is one reason, especially as one ages- and I would say that it is after 50,  no doctor should be discussing weight with an overweight to obese (not morbidly obese) person except in regards to issues like sudden changes, water retention, or or something of that sort.  

I know that in my case, I was very thin- probably underweight at times, and was underweight with my first pregnancy- I was 5'6.5 and only 214 lbs and only gained 6 and he was 6 lbs 8 oz.   I was still normal weight with child 2, 4 5 yrs later- but I had gained weight and it didn\t have to do with more eating  but rather with the full-blown start of my autoimmune diseases.  After my third, when my AI issues became quite bad, was when I gained weight and became overweight to obese -  I am on medications that cause weight gain (and cause hunger),  my diseases limit my ability to exercise, and there are a lot of factors much more important than too much weight on survival.  The most important factor is lonliness and another huge one is stress.  Doctors should know that and not mention weight loss in people who aren't morbidly obese.  And specifically, if they do need to mention it for that reason or a reason like type 2 diabetes, upcoming surgery, what have you- they should direct you to a diet and weight loss specialist.  

[Katy]

7 hours ago, kand said:

I really think a lot of the answer is likely to involve the microbiome. There has been too much research recently implicating that to ignore. It’s really compelling, and the extra cool thing is that it’s something we have ways we could address. It’s not just mice. Even in people who have had fecal transplants, there are cases of obese people becoming thin and thin people becoming obese (depending on the weight status of the donor). 

I will say since I took that probiotic that healed my food allergies my emotional reactions to food have changed drastically. I get far less reward from eating junk food now. It doesn’t taste as good. I don’t get a rush of that temporarily happy feeling like I used to from food.
 

Last night I had a donut and it didn’t taste great, and afterwards I physically felt awful and wished I hadn’t eaten it. I had a stomachache and a vague feeling of discomfort. And despite having a house full of junk food (DH is on staycation and went shopping for “vacation food”), last night when I got hungry again I found myself repulsed by the junk food and digging cucumbers and strawberries out of the back of the fridge. 
 

That would have previously been a choice that took a lot of willpower, not just listening to a healthy craving since I was about 10.  I don’t think I’m down two pounds, but the food I usually want has definitely been switched to something healthier over the past few months. 

[ktgrok]

7 minutes ago, Katy said:

I will say since I took that probiotic that healed my food allergies my emotional reactions to food have changed drastically. I get far less reward from eating junk food now. It doesn’t taste as good. I don’t get a rush of that temporarily happy feeling like I used to from food.
 

 

yup! After my surgery things tasted different, it was really weird! Sort of like how in pregnancy you can crave things you never did before, or have aversions to things you never did before. My first pregnancy I CRAVED canned peaches and glasses of milk - both things I HATED before then. And I couldn't even sit NEAR someone eating fish or chicken. (found this out when I went out to celebrate the pregnancy at a sea food restaurant, lol)

Same can happen after surgery, or an illness, etc. 

Heck, my husband got the flu, had a high fever, and lost his desire for coffee once. Lasted months. Was totally weird. 

[Scarlett]

4 hours ago, ktgrok said:

yup! After my surgery things tasted different, it was really weird! Sort of like how in pregnancy you can crave things you never did before, or have aversions to things you never did before. My first pregnancy I CRAVED canned peaches and glasses of milk - both things I HATED before then. And I couldn't even sit NEAR someone eating fish or chicken. (found this out when I went out to celebrate the pregnancy at a sea food restaurant, lol)

Same can happen after surgery, or an illness, etc. 

Heck, my husband got the flu, had a high fever, and lost his desire for coffee once. Lasted months. Was totally weird. 

Chemo messed up my moms sense of taste. Everything even slightly sweet tasted sickeningly  sweet to her. Lasted for months . 

[Jenny in Florida]

A couple of my millennial-aged co-workers turned me on to a podcast called You're Wrong About, which I now out and out love. One of the hosts has recently started a new one called Maintenance Phase, which is devoted to examining and debunking fads in the wellness and weight-loss industries. One recent episode examined the origin of the idea that obesity is always a health crisis. 

Heads up that there is "language," so don't listen if your ears are tender.

I have been very much enjoying it, however: https://www.yourfatfriend.com/podcast

[kbutton]

On 11/4/2020 at 11:39 PM, Scarlett said:

I just can’t see how that is true.  My son had high bloodpressure at age 16.  The doctors treated it while also saying, if you lose the weight you will most likely come off this med.  That happened. 

I can't remember if you mentioned it or not, but did his weight come down with exercise (you don't even have to answer)? Some people (not all) keep their blood pressure in check with exercise. A lack of exercise can cause both weight gain and hypertension. That is just one way in which people might be assuming fat = bad health. 

Anecdotally, my very thin husband (was once told he was underweight) gets a lot of steps in daily through work. He's always enjoyed being active, but work is the real kicker because he's on his feet a lot at work. Over time, he's had to add extra exercise (more than just what he finds fun) to maintain a decent BP. Eventually, he's likely to need meds. But he's the picture of health if you just look at him or see his weight. 

Some people also compensate well for serious health conditions--I knew someone with polycystic kidney disease who don't know they have it until they are "fat" and hypertensive. In some cases, they are fat mostly because their kidneys have become the size of footballs from the cysts. There was a known familial risk, but the possibility was never explored because no one thought there was anything to be done about it (also a lazy assumption on the part of doctors who didn't bother to get a nephrologist or geneticist involved!!!). (Others, in the same family, stay thin, become hypertensive, and their football-sized kidneys compress their internal organs. Just making sure people know you don't have to appear fat to have cystic kidneys.)

On 11/5/2020 at 8:25 AM, TravelingChris said:

Somehow my quotes got lost.

BUt here are some responses-  Obese and morbidly obese are totally different animals.  Overweight and lower range obese people actually have better survival rates.  Yes, as Ktgrok said, there are obvious affects on joints and bones- but one of those is increased bone mass too.  Which is one reason, especially as one ages- and I would say that it is after 50,  no doctor should be discussing weight with an overweight to obese (not morbidly obese) person except in regards to issues like sudden changes, water retention, or or something of that sort.  

My parents' doctor told them this as well. He preferred them to be on the somewhat fluffy side--just a little bit overweight/barely obese.

[Scarlett]

3 hours ago, kbutton said:

I can't remember if you mentioned it or not, but did his weight come down with exercise (you don't even have to answer)? Some people (not all) keep their blood pressure in check with exercise. A lack of exercise can cause both weight gain and hypertension. That is just one way in which people might be assuming fat = bad health. 

 

No exercise.  Well nothing beyond his regular work exertion. 

Edited November 7, 2020 by Scarlett

[ktgrok]

and I agree that there is a HUGE difference between overweight or mildly obese and morbidly obese. Someone with a BMI in the upper 20s, or low 30s, is in a different place entirely than someone with a BMI in the 60s. 

[Jeror]

You know, I gained weight a lot due to the pandemic and my well-being is not good now. If you don't have any problems with health, there is no reason to be concerned. Personally, I want to lose weight and will do my best. Are there any good and effective tips? I was prescribed to take Xenical (I bought it at Canadian Pharmacy), exercises and balanced diet.