Is your doctor a heavy? That may not be good for your health. A recent study found that heavier doctors are less likely to talk about weight problems with their overweight and obese patients. That's bad because another recent survey found that most people underestimate their weight and overestimate their height.
The study of overweight doctors and their patients, published in the journal Obesity, found that physicians who were of normal weight had more confidence in their ability to provide diet and exercise counseling than doctors who were overweight or obese.
Normal-weight doctors also said they didn't think patients would trust diet and exercise advice from overweight or obese doctors.
The survey of what people say about their height and weight (published in the journal Ethnicity & Disease, found some interesting racial and ethnic differences. Whites are more likely to think they are taller and thinner than they really while Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to have a realistic image of their size.
Here's a news flash: hiding from those extra pounds doesn't make them go away.
