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A condition called obesity indicates a person has too much body fat. Obesity is more than simply a visual issue. It is a medical condition that raises the chance of various illnesses and conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some malignancies.

There are several reasons why some people find it difficult to lose weight. Obesity usually forms from a combination of dietary, physiological, and environmental factors along with exercise, physical activity, and lifestyle choices.

The great news is that a small amount of weight loss can help or even stop the health issues linked to obesity. You can lose weight by changing your habits, increasing your physical activity, and eating healthier. Additional alternatives for managing obesity include prescription drugs and weight-loss techniques.

Click here to fight obesity in the right way

How Should You Talk About Obesity?

Introduce the topic of weight in a courteous and nonjudgmental manner. If patients feel valued, they might be more forthcoming. Introduce the topic of weight in a courteous and nonjudgmental manner. Mention the health hazards connected with obesity and being overweight before asking patients if they want to talk about their weight.

Patients don't want their doctors to think that every issue they have, like throat infection, is caused by their weight. First, take care of your patient's primary health concerns. Let them discuss other matters, including family or work concerns, that may harm their mental or emotional health.

Request a conversation with patients about overall general health, including their weight. Be aware of any cultural disparities your patients may have regarding their weight, preferred cuisine, social mores, and other related matters. For instance, individuals who believe their weight is appropriate for their culture may better respond to a clinician's recommendations for maintaining weight than for recommending weight loss.

Use People-First Language

For decades when obesity has been considered and looked at as an illness, people with obesity have generally been stigmatized and biased due to their medical condition, further resulting in more stress and mental pressure for them. As a general rule towards not to bias and stigmatize people experiencing obesity, they should be called 'obese' instead of called people with obesity.

This removes the burden and helps them discuss their problem and medical condition more often and freely. It's about time now that people start understanding that obesity is not a lifestyle choice but rather a medical condition that can result from several imbalances in a person's body that can further result in many medical changes for a person.

Referring to people 'with obesity' by referring them first and their medical condition afterward allows them the liberty to discuss and work on their obesity more comfortably. This is called using the people-first language that gives priority to the individual first and their medical condition on the secondary level.

The people-first language is an initiative by the Calibrate association that offers weight loss programs to people with obesity and excessive weight through professional medical approaches with medications prescribed by doctors that helps a person work more strategically on their goals, biology, and metabolism reset for effective weight loss.

The Mental & Emotional Burdens Of Obese Persons

According to much research, there is a clear connection between weight and mental health. Obesity and mental health problems tend to be inversely correlated. In contrast, obesity raises the risk for mental disorders, particularly in some groups. Mental health disorders also raise the risk of obesity. For several reasons, mental health issues can raise the risk of obesity.

  1. Psychiatric medications can make people gain weight and develop insulin resistance, which can lead to obesity;
  2. Mental diseases can have an impact on people's sleep patterns, eating habits, and physical activity levels, all of which can lead to the formation of obesity.

On the other hand, depression risk rises with fat. This is probably caused by a variety of intricate factors, such as low self-esteem and depression brought on by weight bias and stigma, a reduction in activity as a result of back pain brought on by being overweight, and biological disruptions brought on by chemicals released by fat cells when a person is obese.

Obesity and mental health are intricately connected on many levels. Patients having mental health conditions should have their weight closely checked, and persons with obesity should have their mental health evaluated.

Tips to Overcome Weight & Body Image Bias

There is a lot of weight and body image bias in our society that is a direct lack of compassion and the understanding that obesity or weight gain is a medical condition, not a lifestyle choice or preference. However, there are some effective ways to overcome and treat the weight and body image bias in our society that are as follows:

Consider Compassion While Speaking

Words we choose while speaking and communicating with people can greatly impact and affect their mindset, mental health, and even physical health. Here are two basic ways that can help you consider and add compassion in your speech and be mindful regarding it when you communicate with people:

  • Body weight is not something that should be discussed in public. For the majority of individuals, it is a very sensitive topic. Ask for permission before discussing body weight, even if you are a health expert.
  • Instead of referring to them by their sickness, speak to them as individuals. Ex. It is person-first language to refer to "a person with obesity." It is not a person's first language to say "a fat person." Similar to how you would state that someone "has a broken leg" rather than "has a broken leg,"

Become Aware of Weight and Body Bias

Recognizing our potential views and presumptions regarding body weight is the first step in combating the stigma associated with being overweight. What do you believe and say about obese people? Did you know that the most typical motive for bullying kids is to call them "fat"?

According to a Harvard University survey, many automatically prefer "slim people" to "big people." This study evaluates the underlying beliefs and attitudes that people are unable or unwilling to report using an Implicit Association Test (IAT) that anybody may take.

Show Respect Towards People

Everyone deserves to be respected and treated with dignity. Are YOU prepared to assist in ENDING the weight bias? Here are a few pieces of advice:

  • Observe instances of weight stigmatization and speak up whenever you overhear offensive remarks or jokes. Instead of bringing up someone's weight, bring up their performance, passion, or other good qualities. Remind yourself and others that "We don't know their story. Therefore, don't blame them for their size" if you see someone criticizing someone for their weight.
  • Turn attention away from weight and toward health and wellbeing.
  • Change your attitude because your actions and emotions will also change if you do.

Learn More With Alfie

As obesity is a disease and not a lifestyle preference, it should always be considered and catered to with compassion, care, and respect. While our society is generally body and weight-biased, small steps in the right direction can change the mindset and perception of the society towards obesity and obese people.

Obesity is a medical condition that can lead to many different kinds and types of health illnesses for which obesity should be treated and addressed correctly through medical intervention, dietary options, and lifestyle alterations.

However, it still gets difficult for some people to address obesity through the treatment mentioned above, for which they can join an online weight-loss program as credible as the Alfie Weight Loss for Men.

Alfie can help you lose unhealthy extra weight through medications, professional guidance, support groups, and consultation available 24/7. You can contact us at joinalfie.com to book your appointment and consultation today.