# UK medics ordered not refer to fat kids as "obese"



## JJR512 (Aug 5, 2008)

> MEDICS were ordered yesterday to stop calling fat kids obese — to avoid upsetting their parents.
> 
> The barmy ruling came as health chiefs launched a drive to help podgy youngsters shed the pounds.
> ...
> ...


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1514417.ece


(If you read the article, be advised that 1 stone = 14 US pounds or 6.35 kg; so, the 15-y/o 33 st. girl weighs 463 lbs. or 210 kg.)


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## reaper (Aug 5, 2008)

And they say the U.S. is to PC!


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## Flight-LP (Aug 5, 2008)

Is lard a$$ better???????

Sorry, but it is what it is. If parents aren't going to get off their butts to ensure healthy nutrition and exercise for their kids instead letting them play x-box all day, then I say let the names begin. Maybe the principle of self-motivation may still exist in todays youth and they may want to do something about it..................


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## Onceamedic (Aug 5, 2008)

One of the frustrating things about dealing with the obese is the denial of the patients.  Just today I was watching a program where two obese parents lamented the fact that their 11 year old was "overweight".  I wanted to say "the kid is FAT and you two are also FAT".  It sounds heartless, but I have battled my weight for the last 15 years.  Making the truth more palatable does nothing to get people off their a**** and into a gym.

OK - Rant over.
^_^


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## MagicTyler (Aug 6, 2008)

Glad I live in the US... OBESE! OBESE! OBESE! OBESE! OBESE! OBESE!


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## triemal04 (Aug 6, 2008)

Gotta love PC bull...it's bad enough in day to day life, but medicine is the last place it belongs.  If you are obese, then that's how it get's documented.  If you are mentally retarded or otherwise disabled, then that's how it gets documented.  No big-boned, no special person, no whatever challenged.

And be glad I'm willing to do that.


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## mikeylikesit (Aug 6, 2008)

I thought obese was the pc term for fat. well if they're that upset then they should not take it out by fattening up their kids.


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## Hastings (Aug 6, 2008)

Hm, I've always wondered how we're supposed to refer to overweight patients. One time, my partner made a call over the radio in the back of the ambulance to the hospital with the patient laying on the cot right there. He concluded the report with "The patient is morbidly obese. We're going to need help getting the patient out." I looked over at the patient to see if there was any reaction.


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## triemal04 (Aug 6, 2008)

Hastings said:


> Hm, I've always wondered how we're supposed to refer to overweight patients. One time, my partner made a call over the radio in the back of the ambulance to the hospital with the patient laying on the cot right there. He concluded the report with "The patient is morbidly obese. We're going to need help getting the patient out." I looked over at the patient to see if there was any reaction.


I'm sure it didn't make the patient feel any better, but there may not have been a better way to do it.  If you can call from out of earshot, sure that'd be nice, but if you can't...oh well.  If the person has really deluded themselves into thinking that they aren't overweight, maybe it'll be a wake up call.

Better than saying "we've got us a fatty!  gonna need a whole lotta help gettin' this porker outa the car!  they's a biggun!"

Or maybe that'd make some people feel better.


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## CFRBryan347768 (Aug 7, 2008)

Hastings said:


> Hm, I've always wondered how we're supposed to refer to overweight patients. One time, my partner made a call over the radio in the back of the ambulance to the hospital with the patient laying on the cot right there. He concluded the report with "The patient is morbidly obese. We're going to need help getting the patient out." I looked over at the patient to see if there was any reaction.



And was their?


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## TheMowingMonk (Aug 10, 2008)

Thats Interesting, Several times ive seen in pt's charts under diagnoses theyll have severe obesity or severely obese. I guess doctors aren't as PC, lol


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## Sasha (Aug 20, 2008)

Isn't The Sun just the British version of the Tabloids?


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## JJR512 (Aug 20, 2008)

Technically, yes.

However, don't let that fool you.

The Sun is the most circulating daily English-language paper in the world, and the eighth largest in any language.

It features a topless model on Page 3 in every edition (since 1970).

The Sun's primary content focus is on politics, government, and celebrities. Many of its stories are about scandals. It does not report stories like aliens secretly rule the world or any nonsense like that. It is a fairly well-respected newspaper, and is far above the group containing trash such as America's National Enquirer.


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