Yo Doctors

Doctors less likely to bond with overweight patients

In a small study of 39 primary care doctors and 208 of their patients, Johns Hopkins researchers found that patient weight played no role in the quantity of physicians' medical questions, medical advice, counseling, or treatment regimen discussions. But when it came to things like showing empathy, concern and understanding, the doctors were significantly more likely to express those behaviors in interactions with patients of normal weight than with overweight and obese patients, regardless of the medical topic being discussed.
Obese patients may be particularly vulnerable to poorer physician-patient communications, Gudzune says, because studies show that physicians may hold negative attitudes toward these patients. Some physicians have less respect for their obese patients, which may come across during patient encounters.

Gosh golly, say it ain't so.
This is the part that gets me though-

"If patients see their primary care doctors as allies, I think they will be more successful in complying with our advice," says Gudzune, whose practice focuses on weight-loss issues.

What makes you believe we aren't complying with your advice?
The fact that we do not succeed in losing weight?
Your disrespect seems to be based on the assumption we are insincere or incompetent.
You might want to think about that.  What if we aren't?