Why do doctors overlook eating disorders in overweight patients

[Anonymous]

Ever since I was young I've always sttuggled with ny weight and majority of my doctors "assumed" it was due to overeating and being inactive but that was never the case. Later on they found out the only inactive is my thyroid. But before the diagnosis and even after, I've been depressed about my weight and barely eat and use lacatives frequently (I'm practically starving myself) because of an intense fear that I'm getting bigger every single day (which I am). I've told the doctors this and what do they do? Advise me to eat 3 meals a day and "portortion" my food whenever I eat it. Whenever I was younger I completely stopped eating for a few week and lost a lot of weight. Doctors threatned to admit me to a hospital to help me start back eating.. See the difference of the advised treatment from an overweight person to an underweight person?

Thats just my experience but I just don't understand how doctors overlook eating disorders in heavier people as if they don't exist. You don't have to be underweight for eating disorders to develop. But in doctors eyes, if you're fat, you are automatically assumed that you don't count your calories and that you're inactive and it definitely doesn't help that society labels every overweight person like that either.

Why is that?

[Anonymous]

They don't treat overeating as a disorder, because fat people aren't attractive. If you aren't attractive, then you aren't a person of value to society. A person that is skinny because they don't eat however is more attractive, so they get all sorts of help and people are very concerned about their condition.

The reason isn't fair but it seems to largely be biological. We instinctively like attractive people better than ugly people even if they have the same personality. Socially it is more important to be skinny even if that means you are unhealthy, than to be fat and healthy.

We can also see this in the media as well. Anytime you see an ugly or fat person they are either stupid, or immoral. I think this is more about art imitating life, more so than me trying to blame this on the media.

[myTake Owner]

I think you misunderstood me. I mean anorexia and other eating disorder behaviors not binge eating. I'm talking about going to extreme measures to lose weight and still seeing yourself bigger than you actually are even if they are still big. But other than that you have a good point. Society and the media do play a major role in this.

[littlea7]

Well, it is an issue. Its funny that people are willing to hospitalize and forcibly those don't eat, but refuse to give medical help to those who either can't lose weight, or have an eating disorder that increases your weight.

[Azara]

anorexia nervosa is a multi million $ industry. The image of feeding starving children in their own country eases people's conscience aboit loving in an imperialist culture responsable for starving children in other countries and in impoverished parts of their own country. .

It's also a witch hunt. They don't help people coming for help. They go after healthy thin women and make money by pushing pills to fix their " psychological illness". It's money making.

Sorry you're not getting heop. Try seeing a naturopath usually they are more interested in listening.

[523206720]

You have to be suspicious of doctors by realizing they are flawed human beings who are capable of making ridiculously large errors just like any other flawed person. Try going on a low carb diet because I believe anybody can become thin on one - even with metabolic issues.

[bryon]

most family Drs. aren't dieticians and really don't know the difference or at least not enough to differentiate an unhealthy eating habit from a true medical issue , so that take the cop out and say " diet and count calories along with exercise " I say MULE MUFFINS. If the thyroid can control so many facets of life and can affect ones health in a variety of ways you would think they would choose to learn the difference.

[Anonymous]

I don't know why they do it. I lost 50 pounds in like 3 months a few years ago but my doctor didn't say anything. He only said I need to lose more weight and he didn't look too concerned. I ate 500-1200 calories a day and exercised a lot. I haven't been to the doctor since. If I didn't care about my health, then why the hell was my mom paying him not to care about it either? Anyway, I think they think it doesn't matter how you lose it as long as you're not already skinny. That sucks.

[myTake Owner]

exactly!

[Hal2002]

Repeat business, kickbacks from the pharmaceutical companies. Too many doctors go into the medical field to make money and get social status, not because they care about peoples health.