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Medical Fatphobia – 10 Ways To Handle Fatphobic Doctors

Latest posts by Georgina Grogan (see all)

If you haven’t seen the news yet then GPs are now going to be given pay incentives for being more fatphobic than they already are. As a fat disabled people, I already know that others like me and fat people in general, avoid seeking medical attention altogether because of fatphobic doctors. This is because they aren’t taken seriously, have their problems ignored, and everything they ever ask for help with ends up being down to their weight. During an appointment where I went for a bad cold as a young teenager, I was offered diet tablets.

Medical Fatphobia - 10 Ways To Handle Fatphobic Doctors

It’s not just that fat people are actively avoiding going to do a GP and in most cases, it’s taking a huge toll on their health, it’s the fact that often their weight is looked at so much that GPs are missing key signs of serious illness. Weight is focussed on so much that other treatment plans could have been in place years beforehand. We’ve all seen the stories of ‘Doctors Told Her She Was Just Fat. She Actually Had Cancer.’ This is happening all the time for all manner of different medical conditions.

We’ve already done a post on What’s So Bad About My GP Fat-Shaming Me? A great read to help people understand how many negative effects it can have. As well as a post on Medical Fatphobia with stories from other fat people, but here’s is what you can actually do to deal with fatphobic doctors, as tried and tested by fat people.

What Can I do? 10 Ways To Handle Fatphobic Doctors

I know from personal experience that sometimes when you go to the doctors and you’re so desperate for help, that the last thing you think about is being fat-shamed, so when it happens, you aren’t ready. Hopefully, the following will help prepare you.

1 – Steer them back to the problem, one anonymous person said that they have to ‘frequently remind doctors of my own medical file contents which shows I have multiple conditions and medication that affect my weight.’ A good way to steer them back to what you want is to say ‘in our limited time can we focus on…’

2 – Acknowledge their concerns and then ask them to look past it. Something just pacifying them by agreeing or listening, and then asking them to consider what else could be causing your problem, is the best way. ‘Yes I understand my weight can be a factor, what else do you think is causing this?’ 

3 – Refuse to be weighed and refuse to give your weight. Many people have replied saying they refuse to give any weight details at all, especially when it has no relevance at all to why they’re visiting the doctors that day.

4 – Ask them to put your weight to one side, or what they would recommend as a treatment plan if you were thinner. ‘If we just put my weight to one side, is there anything else this could be?’

5 – Point blank tell them you aren’t there to discuss your weight and need help with your actual problem. Set boundaries and don’t let them be crossed. ‘I’m not interested in talking about my weight, I have come regarding…’

6 – Googling, asking others with similar conditions, and looking online for some treatment plan ideas and tests that you could have done, might help speed things along. Sometimes suggesting treatment plans that you’d like to try can help keep them focussed.

7 – Ask to see a different doctor next time and refuse to see that one again. This can be done via reception. Surely in your entire surgery, there has to be one doctor that puts your medical needs above your weight.

8 – Even though they’re going to be receiving incentives now for being more fatphobic than usual, if you feel your doctor is really heavily fat-shaming you and neglecting their duty of care, report them.

9 – Depending on your condition, request a phone appointment. It’s extremely upsetting that to get proper care from our GPs it’s better for them not to see us in person, but it does actually work and since Covid, a lot of fat people have been receiving better care because it’s been online or via phone.

10 – Ask them to make notes of the conditions they’re dismissing based on your weight. This way when you see someone else it’ll be on your notes and that other GP might (hopefully) take you seriously. ‘Can you please make a note that you refused to test me for X on my file.’

If you have any helpful advice for fellow fats on how to handle fatphobic doctors, please leave it below.

XOXO, SMB

Comments 3

  1. Some good points here! I just often avoid going all together unless I have to.

  2. I’m overweight and had a brain tumour removed last August. I had a stroke because, although benign, it was huge and a really tricky operation. It had been growing for at least 15 years, due to its size. I had been going to the doctors for years with symptoms but it was never investigated. It wasn’t until I had a seizure when I was with my mum and she took me to A and E, and said we weren’t leaving until I had been tested. I was admitted for an mri

  3. So refreshing and very helpful. Do agree a phone call can be better , on both sides. They cant see you. I feel better cause they cant see me . Guess it doesnt work for some things

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