A growing number of doctors across a wide range of specialties have eliminated routine weighing of patients in an effort to avoid weight shaming, but others argue that this obscures a critical health metric.
Patients are usually weighed as the first step in a routine medical visit.
But the standard practice is losing popularity as more and more people say it makes others feel embarrassed about their weight, causing them to run away from the doctor, even when they have health problems.
Weight has long been thought to be strongly linked to a long list of health problems. Therefore, doctors rely in part on the number on the scale to guide their thinking and serve as the basis for a diagnosis.
ypPeople have been told for decades that obesity can be solved with a strong will and strict diet and exercise regimens, and without lose weight is a sign of a fatal personal defect.
Dr. Pamela Tambini, medical director at Engage Wellness, an addiction recovery center where a patient’s weight is crucial to medication dosing, said weight checks at doctor’s appointments “are about more than just getting on to a scale: they are an essential health tool.
He added: “Weight is a crucial indicator of overall health, especially when it comes to chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.”
“While conversations about weight may seem sensitive, routine weight monitoring remains a key part of preventive care and provides information that goes far beyond the number itself.”
Weight has long been thought to be strongly linked to a long list of health problems. Therefore, doctors rely in part on the number on the scale to guide their thinking and serve as the basis for a diagnosis.
Many professional medical organizations, such as the American Medical Association, have issued guidelines that downplay the importance of weight and body mass index as key indicators of health. Instead, they urge doctors to focus equally on all aspects of a person’s health.
While reducing the focus in exam rooms on what the scale says can make a patient more comfortable and willing to continue receiving preventive care and checkups, neglecting it can introduce more risks than benefits.
Dr. Paul Rosenberg, chief plastic surgeon at the New Jersey Gynecomastia Center, is a strong advocate for weighing patients.
Weight checks are essential to assess whether a patient is healthy enough to undergo surgery.
They help differentiate between excess fat and glandular tissue in procedures to remove excess breast tissue in men.
He said: ‘These metrics can reveal underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension and certain cancers. Sudden or unintentional weight changes can be a warning sign of problems such as thyroid dysfunction and heart disease.
‘These routine checks are aimed at prevention and early detection. It is easy to miss detectable health risks when we completely ignore weight monitoring or avoid sharing this information with patients.’
Weight checks are simple, non-invasive tools in a doctor’s diagnostic arsenal. Although indicators, such as slight irregularities in weight patterns, may seem insignificant and are good to ignore, they can sometimes mask underlying illnesses.
‘Don’t Weigh Me Cards’, created by More-Love.org, asks doctors not to weigh patients every time they come for an appointment, unless absolutely necessary.
Continuous weight management is recommended for timely intervention to reduce the risk of long-term disabilities and improve patients’ quality of life.
“On the other hand,” said Dr. Courney Scott, an expert in addictions and internal medicine, “abrupt, involuntary weight changes (in which one experiences sudden changes in weight) could emphasize deeper, more serious problems that need attention in the right time.”
“Rapid weight change could be due to underlying factors such as thyroid dysfunction, heart or kidney failure, nutritional deficiencies, and even depression or anxiety that derail normal expectations.”
Today, patients can deny consent to be weighed, even by handing over business cards with bold letters that say, “Please do not weigh me unless it is (really) medically necessary.” ‘This is an effort by an eating disorder advocacy group to empower patients.
However, many experts say weighing empowers patients.
Dr Scott said: “This is possible by allowing patients to track their weight trends, thus giving them the upper hand when deciding on dietary changes or even seeking medical advice.”
Weight checks also allow for frank conversations with your doctor about the potential benefits of trying other interventions known to improve cardiometabolic health, such as GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy.
The obesity rate among American adults increased from 21.2 percent in 1990 to 43.8 percent in 2022 for women and from 16.9 percent to 41.6 percent for men. Being obese is a proven risk factor for a wide range of health problems.
Dr. Rosenberg added, “In my practice, where I prescribe GLP-1 and related treatments, I have seen firsthand how empowering it can be to deliver information to patients respectfully and in the right context.
«When patients are informed about their weight and how it relates to their health, they are more likely to adopt strategies to control or improve it. “Avoiding the conversation altogether in the name of preserving mental health can do more harm than good by potentially delaying critical care.”
Obesity is a persistent public health problem in the United States, where about 40 percent of people are overweight or obese.
Obesity rates were consistently higher among adults ages 40 to 59. Overall, 46 percent of Americans in that age group were considered obese.
People with obesity are projected to be approximately 28 percent more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease, 24 percent more likely to suffer a stroke, and nine times more likely to develop heart failure.
When doctors and nurses weigh patients, it is essential to approach the topic tactfully and sensitively.
Surprisingly, even though healthcare environments are designed to support and promote health, research spanning 40 years indicates that people with obesity often face weight stigma and discrimination from healthcare professionals. .
Studies have found that 69 percent of doctors46 percent of nurses and 37 percent of dietitians exhibit biased attitudes toward people living with obesity.
In 2023, experts found that half of about 380 women thought it was it’s okay to refuse being weighed at the doctor’s office, and nearly a third reported doing so in the past due to concerns about weight discrimination based on previous negative experiences with providers and its negative impact on their mental health.
Dr. Scott said, “An important practice that should support this process involves doctors being sensitive to what patients want.” For example, things like shame and the brutality of focusing too much on one’s own weight can be avoided if doctors choose not to see their weight, even if doctors use that data for health purposes.
“Creating the opportunity to discuss these issues encourages greater attention to trust and requires people to participate in their long-term health care.”