Going to your primary care provider for obesity treatment doesn’t always work. Not all primary care doctors have training in obesity, and they may treat their patients in ways that don’t make them feel understood.
“There’s a real lack of education and training experiences for physicians around obesity and its treatment,” says Dr. Gudzune. “There’s a big gap in knowledge.” She says a lot of primary care physicians and other doctors just tell their patients with obesity to eat less and move more.
“But we know that’s not how obesity works,” says Gudzune. “An obesity medicine physician understands the social, psychological, and other contextual factors that come with obesity.”
Cassetty agrees. “A lot of times, people go to the doctor and hear, ‘You need to diet and exercise.’ If it were that easy, people wouldn’t be in the position they’re in. And it’s not that helpful to basically be told that you are the problem or to feel shame around your body,” she says. “Someone who’s living with obesity could benefit from a more respectful patient-provider interaction.” Building trust and rapport with your healthcare provider is essential to a successful treatment plan and long-term medical relationship.
Primary care providers also may not fully understand GLP-1s, she adds. “Blindly prescribing these drugs without full knowledge of how the drug works can result in muscle loss, weight regain, or indefinite plateaus.”
It may feel daunting to see a doctor when you live with obesity, especially if you’ve had stigmatizing experiences in healthcare settings.
“I’ve had people tell me they went to the doctor because they had a sore throat, and they were told to lose weight, which has nothing to do with why they came in. It reinforces the idea that they’re not welcome,” says Gudzune. “I’ve had people come to see me who haven’t seen a physician in over a decade, because they’ve had really horrible experiences with the healthcare system of being shamed or blamed about their weight.”
And obesity stigma and misinformation doesn’t always fade after you start a GLP-1.
For example, some people can actually gain weight on GLP-1 drugs. While some primary providers may not know why, an obesity specialist may be able to pinpoint why the drugs aren’t working. For example, on a GLP-1, you need to drink plenty of water each day for the drug to work most effectively, says Decotiis.
Obesity medicine specialists also understand the stigma and bias people with obesity face and can provide compassionate, well-informed care. “One of the things that’s really key in my own practice is having an environment where everyone is welcome, regardless of body size. There’s no judgment, and there’s no shame,” says Gudzune.
Read the full article here
