Letters: The problem with obesity advice

Re “Obesity to be viewed as a disease,” June 19

The American Medical Assn.’s decision to classify obesity as a disease, obliging doctors to address their overweight patients’ condition, may result in lightened patient loads — but at a high price.

It’s axiomatic in the healthcare industry that the quickest way for a doctor to lose a patient is to say, “You need to see a psychiatrist” or “You need to lose weight.” With patient loads likely to increase with the implementation of Obamacare, the best way to reduce those loads would seem to be pushing that hottest of all patient hot buttons and talking honestly about the risks of obesity.

Few overweight patients would probably listen to common-sense medical advice. Most would rather run from it at the risk of their lives.

Spencer Grant

Laguna Niguel

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