Using an 'obesity simulation suit' to reveal prejudice among med students
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Healthcare professionals may discriminate against people with obesity.
In all walks of life, people with obesity tend to face subconscious stigmatization and prejudice. Many people with obesity have experienced this in their day-to-day experience, but scientific studies also back this phenomenon up. For instance, gaze behavior studies showed that some people "stare" at the waistlines of people with obesity, thus paying less attention to their face and "de-individualizing" them. Another study found that even experienced human resource professionals can sometimes discriminate against people with obesity — particularly women. Healthcare professionals are no strangers to bias and prejudice against people with obesity, either. Research has found that doctors tend to be less respectful toward those with obesity, communicate less positively with them, and spend less time educating them about their health. Instead, albeit mistakenly, physicians often "blame" obesity for the person's symptoms, and they fail to explore other avenues for treatment besides weight loss. So, what are some of the things we can do to eliminate the stigma around obesity? Researchers led by Anne Herrmann-Werner, from the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the University Hospital Tuebingen in Germany, wanted to see if using an "obesity simulation suit" and conducting a role-playing experiment would help uncover and correct anti-obesity bias among medical students. Herrmann-Werner and colleagues published the results of their proof-of-concept study in the journal BMJ Open. Obesity bias and the value of a teaching aidThe researchers used role-playing to reenact a routine visit to the "family doctor." They asked the participants to work in groups of 10 and assume either the role of a "patient with diabetes" or that of the doctor. When playing the role of the patient, the participants had to wear an "obesity simulation suit." This would simulate the appearance of a person with a body mass index (BMI) of 30–39. The researchers used the weight control/blame section of the "Anti-Fat Attitudes Test" (AFAT) — a standard measure of prejudice against people with obesity — to examine attitudes toward obesity. The AFAT uses a 5-point scale (ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree") to rate a person's adherence to statements such as:
Herrmann-Werner and team also asked the participants how sympathetically they felt they communicated with the patient, how realistic the role-play and the "obesity simulation suit" were, how difficult the suit was to wear, and if they thought the suit was an effective teaching prop. In addition to medical students, the study also included teachers. However, the latter group only answered AFAT questions, answered questions about the effectiveness of the suit, and observed the role-playing without taking part. Students likely to express prejudiceThe responses revealed that all the participants thought that the suit was realistic and effective. Participants also thought that the suit made the role-playing more believable and effectively enabled stereotyping. Also, around 3 out of 4 participants said that they thought the suit helped them empathize more with the patient. However, over half of those who played the role of the patient reported feeling physically uncomfortable in the suit and said that it was difficult to put on and take off. Overall, the students who participated in the role-playing exercise were more likely to agree with statements such as "fat people could lose weight if they really wanted to," "most fat people are lazy," and "there is no excuse for being fat" than teachers who did not partake or students who played the role of the patient. The study authors recognize that they only used females to act as patients, so they could not account for any gender specific differences or biases. A further limitation of the study was that the team did not assess the students' attitudes toward people with obesity prior to the intervention, so they do not know if the exercise actually served to reduce the participants' bias. However, Herrmann-Werner and colleagues conclude:
Weight Loss via Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness News From Medical News Today https://ift.tt/O45xlc August 7, 2019 at 07:47PM
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The Flat Belly FixThis is the only 21-day rapid weight loss system that allows you to easily lose an average of 1 lb a day for 21 days without feeling hungry or deprived. The unique and brand new techniques used in this System are proven SAFE. And they do not cause the rebound weight gain common to all the other rapid weight loss systems that are not backed by the latest science. The Flat Belly Fix System takes advantage of a recent scientific discovery that proves the effective weight loss power of an ancient spice. Combined with other cutting-edge ingredients in the patent-pending Flat Belly Fix Tea™ — that you can make right in your own kitchen in minutes — this System is the quickest, easiest and most enjoyable way to quickly get the body you desire and deserve. Click HereArchives
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