Dietitians‘ attitudes towards obese patients
- 15.05.2014
- English Articles
- Mario Hellbardt
- Steffi G. Riedel-Heller
- Claudia Sikorski
Peer-reviewed | Manuscript received: December 09, 2013 | Revision accepted: March 17, 2014
Introduction
Besides from metabolic disorders and physical comorbidities, people with obesity also suffer from social disadvantages. Obese individuals are often stigmatised – assigned unfavourable properties or undervalued – which can be accompanied by severe consequences [1]. Weight related stigmatisation and discrimination lead to a loss of quality of life and unfavourable changes in weight over time and may contribute to the increased morbidity and mortality in obese patients [1–3].
Earlier studies have demonstrated that overweight people are regarded as having fewer abilities and favourable properties than individuals of normal weight. Obese people are often thought to be lazy, slow, less competent, undisciplined, emotionally unstable and unattractive [1, 2]. The perceived stigmatisation in the health system is of special significance. If patients feel mistreated, they may discontinue therapy and receive inadequate medical care. Puhl et al. [4, 5] as well as Budd et al. [6] have shown that obese female patients are seen much less favourable than female patients of normal weight. Trained personnel in the health system (e.g. physicians and nursing staff) may therefore be less open to the treatment and care of obese people. For example, obese patients are given more examinations, thus avoiding personal contact. Also, counselling behaviour and intervention recommendation are influenced by weight [4–6].
Summary
ittle is known about dietitians‘ attitudes towards obese patients or how those affect patient care. The present study examined dietitians‘ attitudes towards overweight and obesity. The evaluation shows a slightly unfavourable evaluation of an overweight person in comparison to someone of normal weight (vignette) by dietitians, even though the mean values were markedly lower than those given by the general population or by trained medical personnel.
Keywords: overweight, obesity, stigma, dietitian, Fat Phobia Scale
