Keywords: obesity, BMI, doctors, nurses, discrimination
Discrimination Related to Obesity as Evidenced by Decreased Levels of Care
In the Latin Language, obesity is “becoming fattened by eating” (Camden 2009). According to Lisa Esposito obese patients have a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 (Esposito, 2014). This extra body fat causes many health concerns and body image issues both of which are discriminated against within our society, including within the healthcare system.
Background
The Essentials for Nursing Practice says that energy imbalance, metabolic, and lifestyle factors contribute to weight (p. 911). Obese adults in America make up around 35 percent of the population (Esposito, 2014). Many of these 35 percent have or are at risk for weight related illness or disease such as diabetes, hypertension, joint pain, heart disease, joint pain, and many others. Also, this excess in weight may lead to body image problems and feelings that they are unattractive, or of lesser value that a thinner person. It has been stated that obesity needs to be treated as aggressively as smoking (Hill, 2013). With this big of a percentage of obese patients in America, the healthcare team should be experienced with taking care of these patients and know …show more content…
Tyber 's medical dictionary states that discrimination is “unequal or unfair treatment or denial of rights without reasonable cause”, and also that “the federal governmental law prohibits the discrimination of people based of gender, age, sexual preference, religion, race, or disabilities” (p 699). Discrimination seems to be very common in our society and it often goes unpunished. One of the big things we are taught in nursing school is to treat every patient the same, this is referred to as justice. Discrimination ignores justice. This may also become a legal
Discrimination Related to Obesity as Evidenced by Decreased Levels of Care
In the Latin Language, obesity is “becoming fattened by eating” (Camden 2009). According to Lisa Esposito obese patients have a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 (Esposito, 2014). This extra body fat causes many health concerns and body image issues both of which are discriminated against within our society, including within the healthcare system.
Background
The Essentials for Nursing Practice says that energy imbalance, metabolic, and lifestyle factors contribute to weight (p. 911). Obese adults in America make up around 35 percent of the population (Esposito, 2014). Many of these 35 percent have or are at risk for weight related illness or disease such as diabetes, hypertension, joint pain, heart disease, joint pain, and many others. Also, this excess in weight may lead to body image problems and feelings that they are unattractive, or of lesser value that a thinner person. It has been stated that obesity needs to be treated as aggressively as smoking (Hill, 2013). With this big of a percentage of obese patients in America, the healthcare team should be experienced with taking care of these patients and know …show more content…
Tyber 's medical dictionary states that discrimination is “unequal or unfair treatment or denial of rights without reasonable cause”, and also that “the federal governmental law prohibits the discrimination of people based of gender, age, sexual preference, religion, race, or disabilities” (p 699). Discrimination seems to be very common in our society and it often goes unpunished. One of the big things we are taught in nursing school is to treat every patient the same, this is referred to as justice. Discrimination ignores justice. This may also become a legal