Fear of Fat: Promoting Health In a Fat-Phobic Culture
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Today I will be attending a Summit on Weight Bias at the University of Calgary, that will explore the the issue of weight-based discrimination and ways to address this – especially in health care settings.
It should come as no surprise that weight bias and discrimination are a major barrier to providing proper preventive and therapeutic health care due to the widespread attitudes and beliefs about obesity that exist amongst health professionals and decision makers.
The scientific summit, co-sponsored by the Canadian Obesity Network, Campus Alberta, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), is complemented by a public Cafe Scientifique that will be held on Thursday, March 12, 7.00 at the Parkdale Community Association, 3512 – 5 Ave NW, in Calgary.
For more information and pre-registration for this free public event, which features
Leora Pinhas, MD
Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, Physician Lead, Eating Disorders Unit, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Tavis Campbell, PhD
Professor, Department of Psychology and Oncology & Director, Behavioural Medicine Laboratory, University of Calgary
Yoni Freedhoff, MD, CCFP
Medical Director, Bariatric Medical Institute, Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa
@DrSharma
Calgary, AB
Thursday, March 12, 2015
The patient perspective is an important and powerful part of this conversation. Weight bias in healthcare is the topic of my TEDxNSU talk I am giving March 28th.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Absolutely, this is why this summit is being opened with a patient perspective from someone who has struggled with this problem for most of her life. Let me know when your talk goes live so that I can posts a link.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
I wish doctors’ examining rooms were more fat and arthritis friendly. At 360 lbs with an arthritic hip, the standard examining table is too narrow to be safe and too high to get on to even with a stool – which I can’t use because it’s too small and it’s hard for me to step up on. Need to get a pap smear? Impossible! A dentist’s chair is much more manageable.