....and in response to this survey:
GP Chairman Challenges Obesity Survey Findings, UK
31 Aug 2006
The UK's GP leader today (Thursday 31 August 2006) challenged the findings of a small-scale obesity survey by Norwich Union Healthcare. The survey claimed to show that family doctors avoid discussing weight issues with their patients.
Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA's GPs Committee said: "I don't have any confidence that this tiny sample - less than one per cent of the UK's GPs were contacted - accurately reflects what is going on in general practice. The GPs were asked if they had ever avoided raising the issue of weight with obese or overweight patients because of fear of upsetting the patient. Answering yes to this question does not mean that family doctors routinely avoid the issue of being overweight. Doctors, even more than anybody else, appreciate the health problems associated with obesity. Obviously, you have to be sensitive how you approach the fact that people are overweight but, where appropriate, doctors try to make sure patients are aware if they believe their weight is adding to their health problems.
"Preventing obesity is something that all of society needs to tackle, from schools, workplaces, advertising, big business and of course in our homes. It lies as much in patients' hands as in the hands of GPs because, as yet, medical intervention at primary care level has not proved to be particularly successful.”
Commenting on the survey finding that some GPs are withholding treatment because of a patient's weight, Dr Meldrum said: "Being obese can greatly increase the risks of having certain operations. Doctors will discuss with their patients the inadvisability of some surgery until they have lost weight, if this is the case.”
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Obesity Discussion Survey Response