The FastDay Forum

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... MP=soc_567


Yeah and they should discuss with people diet plans and intermittent fasting as one option!

Although until doctors are given sensitivity training when dealing with overweight or obese people, I am not sure if its a good idea for them to be advising these people. If it's done the wrong way, it back fires.

In Japan, there is an annual health check for the entire population. BMI and waist measurements are taken. You have the option to tick a box that says you would like to receive advice about diet and exercise, which I think is a non-confrontational way of handling it. I think you also get advice if some of the other tests (like cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.) come back with bad numbers.

Yes I read that article this morning too. My doctor has never mentioned my weight even when I had an Obese BMI. This article says that doctors are reluctant to talk about weight because they don't have an ongoing relationship with the patient, but I've been seeing this doctor for 20 years. The OH's gastroenterologist told the OH he should lose weight, last week.
'Have you heard of the Mediterranian Diet? he says.
'Yes,' we say, 'we've heard of it.'
'I don't know anything about it,' says him, 'but I've heard it's good.'
So now I say 'Meditarranean Diet' as I serve up the pasta, or the risotto or the veggies!

I'm ambivalent about this; it doesn't seem most docs know any more about weight loss--and maintenance; MUCH more challenging/problematic--than laypeople. Perhaps I'm biased (not a huge fan of Western medicine), but all they offer is "eat less, exercise more," and act like you must be a lazy pig if you are overweight. Plus, plenty of them aren't exactly svelte...

I agree @ferretgal. Doctors know nothing more than you and me, but that's a problem. They are trained professionals and this is a major health epidemic. They should know more. They should be better trained. It's all about the emphasis in health being on crisis care and not on prevention. To be fair, our doctor is a big fan of exercise and he has certainly referred us to the local gym a lot. But when I told him about 5:2 at first, he'd not heard of it. He has now and he approves but I doubt that he refers patients to MM's book or this website.