General Chat

Dear All

Hello



Recently, at my GP Practice, the Doctor tried to use
BMI and calculations to check my weight.

He did not how to use the calculations and then said,
"what is your dress size?"

To this, he replied "you are overweight!"

He did not reply when I said had he checked the medicines I need to take to keep me person going.

This Doctor was very overweight and could not get out of his chair.

Now when I was in my 20's, I was stick thin.

Now, I am more middle aged shall we say,
I would not be stick thin.

I am a size 14. Does this qualify me to be called "Overweight?"

Could I have some advice and thoughts please?

Thank you.

Best wishes to all
xx

I'm a size 14 have only been for about the last year.........and whilst I guess I COULD lose a few pounds I wouldn't consider myself overweight enough for an overweight GP to mention it lol xx

You can find the BMI stuff on line and do your own calculations. ;)

But - this stuff is constantly being critiqued. I was just reading the other day that the "ideal" BMI is being considered too thin - people slightly "overweight" actually tend to live longer.

Eat, drink and be merry. ;)

(I can't speak to the size 14 -- sizes on this side of the Atlantic are completely different, and while the busty shapely girl in my grade 10 class was a size 14, sizes have been revised a whole lot since then and it 14 would be considered elephantine now -- at least in the eyes of those who think size 0 stick insects with lollipop heads are normal. And I haven't been a 14 by any measure for a while.)

I suffer from constant ear infections. Loads of probs over the years, couple of operations etc. A doctor once asked me "on the scale of 1 to 10, how does the pain compare to childbirth?". Duh.... how would he know?

Some GP's talk nout of their backsides, especially the ones that tell you to stop smoking when you know that they have just comr in from the back of the building reeking of fags. A case of "do what I say and not as I do"

My previous GP used yo buy his booze (lots of) and fags from the "offy" I used to work in.

xx

Hello Elizabeth, as Janey has already said, you can do your own BMI calculations online .... but these are only a guide, and do not take into account bone density or muscles ... so can't really be used to determine if you are over-weight or not ! .... maybe ask to see the practice nurse if your surgery has one .... she should be able to do the calculations for you ... if you are worried :) good luck x

Nothing has yet been said about height! It has a lot to do with it. So does bone structure. A size 14 would be more overweight for a person who is 4ft 10ins - but more underweight if the person was 5ft 9ins.

Also, I understand that it is normal for a person to be say, 8 stone at the age of 20, but then they can be another stone (14lbs) or more, at the age of 50.

Your best advice can come from you - how you feel and if you are honest with yourself when you look in the mirror!

Hi Elizabeth,
Your dress size doesn't determine if your are over weight or not.

I think your Dr may have been guessing. The BMI for a lady size 14 & 6ft tall will be much less than a lady of the same dress size & 4ft 10ins.

For both (by eye) he would have to estimate the weight for a person of a given size & height..........which is not very scientific.

There has been a lot of controversy about the BMI index.

A person of a certain height & weight, who spends a lot of time in the gym, running & pushing weights. Will have the same BMI of someone who has the same height & weight, but spends all day watching TV.

.........mmmmm.....I wonder which one is healthier?

For example the English rugby team who won the world cup in 2003. Their BMI classed them as being between overweight & obese !!!

Steve
:o)

Unless you are very short Elisabeth, it is unlikely you are much overweight if you are wearing a size 14.

It is how you feel I would say, you know your own level of fitness and whether a small weight loss would feel more comfortable to you...but by the same token thin does NOT equal healthy necessarily nor does it mean having stamina! lol I remember that from employing skinny young things who got tired after a couple of hours hard work.

I would try and see a different doctor next time definitely!

Rose xx

Dear All

Hello

Thank you very much for your kind and sensible replies.

Yes, I will see another GP.

Take care of yourselves and your families.

Very best wishes to all of you.
xxx

Have to admit, I've always felt like I was on the "thin" side. I remember spotting a thing on the computer screen when I saw one of the practice nurses a few months back - when I came back from uni, I estimated my weight on the new patient questionnaire as 50kg (or 7st 12lb to me!) and on the screen it said my ideal weight "should be" 53.5kg.

I'm 5ft tall and there is no way I can see myself ever being able to gain that much, but when I asked the nurse if it meant I was underweight she said that was just an estimate anyway!