How would you feel if your GP kept sending you messages encouraging you to eat less and lose weight?

For one thing how would GPS under pressure already and in short supply have time to do this? I have some health issues, one of which is hypothyroidism, I do have a weight problem Mad worse by this condition and would appreciate some proper help with it but this won't be found at our GPS. There's nobody there on a regular basis and certainly they don't know enough about the condition to help/can't afford to,prescribe more appropriate meds etc. Phew sorry rant over. ?

To be honest I would be happy if a doctor nagged one of my DDs. She must be headed towards 25 stone and is only 5' 2". She said when she saw the doctor he suggested a free 12 week gym membership. As if that is going to help a morbidly obese person. I am seriously concerned as she has 5 children and I am worried she wont see the age of 40 if she doesnt do something about her weight soon. I am sure it won't be taken well if I express my concerns but someone has to say something.

I don’t think it would work at all .....maybe in Germany, or China, North Korea etc but definitely not here!
We don’t respond to being told what to do.

Spangle there is another thread on this very subject of these groups. I started that one as well and I share all your fears.

I read an article in yesterday's newspaper about this proposal. I don't think it will have any effect to be honest. If someone is determined to drink too me CH,smoke or eat a dreadful diet,it will take more than texts from their doctor to make them reconsider their 'lifestyle choices'.
What I found more worrying was an article on the same page about 'mass appointments' for patients. The idea is that you have a 'group appointment' with up to 14 other people. The idea is to save money and doctors' time. Sufferers of long-term conditions such as diabetes,arthritis and asthma will be invited to the group sessions to discuss their care. The 2 hour appointments would be led by admin staff or healthcare assistants,and the doctor would attend for an hour to discuss tests and treatments.
For a start,I don't like the sound of 'typically led by admin staff'. What does that mean? Someone who has no medical training such as the practice receptionist?! It goes on to say that patients would have to sign a 'confidentiality waiver' to make sure they don't discuss other people's ailments afterwards. Really? They think that's going to work? Sorry,but I think the idea is awful and really can't see it working.

I have a liver that doesn’t metabolise some painkillers efficiently - sadly the ones I have to take for arthritis - so have have regular LFTs. It was suggested to me, by a practice nurse who hadn’t read my notes, that I was lying about my alcohol intake. Obviously I was really upset and refused to be seen by him again. I know how I’d feel if I got a text or email from my new practice suggesting that I was an alcoholic ...

There are some of us engaged with trying to help a member of their own family and doing it carefully at the right time and in the right way because they know that person well. If the family member started getting messages like this it would send everything back to square one.

Not to mention all those people who are struggling with other health problems or family problems or mental health problems for whom emails like these could be the final straw.

Well as I don't drink or smoke and can't exercise due to my leg he'd be wasting his time, not to mention his weight problem is far worse than mine. My weight fluctuates by a stone at random, nothing I do seems to cause it but who knows. I eat healthily and always have, I'm as active as I can be, if anything I seem to overdue it quite frequently but I'm not good at asking for help and prefer to do things for myself.

They don't have my mobile number

MissAdventure:

They could just send one word every now and then - 'fatty'


They might as well do that with me, but the message is coming across loud and clear during appointments - everything I have wrong with me is a symptom of FOLS (Fat Old Lady Syndrome].

You could nag, suggest or show evidence to my daughter but she will never ever change. Me, I have my Surgery I don't have a mobile phone, so no texts for me.

My late mother used to regularly make remarks about my weight as if I hadn't noticed. Since much of my problem was due to 'comfort eating' her remarks usually sent me heading for the biscuit tin or my stash of chocolate. Texts of this type would, I'm sure, have the same effect. I've lost about 3 stones over the last few years, some actual fat and some the excess fluid that I carried on my swollen legs, which disappeared when I was put on diuretic tablets. I seem to be unable to shift more weight, although I still need to lose some, but I refuse to 'diet' as I just get obsessed with food and become miserable, resulting in the aforementioned 'comfort eating'. The loss of the 3 stones and the acquisition of a fitbit have made me much more active but my weight refuses to come down further.
As for GP's knowing their patients and the reverse, my GP left last year and no-one has told me who I'm now registered with now. I seem to see a different person every time I go.

As I haven't had and don't have any of the ailments that would be considered suitable for discussion in the round, I don't care what he does.

I’m going to be popular then !
Being obese is damaging to your health. It’s a simple fact.
It make# life difficult wherever you go, be it sitting on standard seats on public transport trains /planes anything.
It causes other health issues to become more difficult to manage or occur.
And when do you ever hear people proudly boasting about how much they’ve managed to put on this week ....
It’s all about good health and weight maintenance.
I have an under active thyroid, I have been pre diabetic but I’m not going to allow obesity get me too. (Yes I’ve had children and have a mummy tummy)
Moderation in all things and don’t let anything get you!

I would do the same as I do with all unsolicited texts or emails, I'd delete them. I know I'm a bit overweight and should exercise more but it's my choice whether to do something about it, so DON'T harass me with unwanted reminders!

I would be offended and insulted at such personal comments. I do not believe many of us who have a modicum of grey matter do not know when we are overweight/ over-smoking/ over-drinking/ over-anything and we do not need reminding. Many of us wake up daily with resolve to correct the 'whatever' and I feel any reference to same by another, professional or otherwise, would aggravate the problem rather than aid it. Nope, another ineffective bit of nonsense thought out by people who really should know better. However, if practices are to be paid a premium for doing this, I have no doubt it will take place.

My cholesterol was/is high and I was told to cut out milk, yogurts, cheese, eggs etc etc. Had a skin lesion which they thought was a cancer - but wasn’t in the end however told to keep out of the sun or covered up.

Fast forward a couple of years and I have discovered I’ve got osteoporosis and they are now telling me to eat plenty of the above and get sun on my skin! Can’t win, so I’m thinking now, sod it and doing my own thing!

If reminders like this were effective I would expect for all GPs and their staff to have healthy BMIs, to eat 5 a day, exercise regularly and not to smoke or drink alcohol. If it doesn’t work for themselves and their staff it’s clearly a waste of time and resources to roll it out to patients.

The trouble is, I think, that such a lot of the ‘advice’ Is patronising. There’s a heart age NHS quiz, which is really crude and takes no account of exercise and diet.

Most of the GPs and nurse practitioners I’ve seen could do with losing a few pounds and toning up.

If my GP bombarded me with messages telling me to cut down etc, I would regard them as spam! My email client allows me to filter out these sort of messages and take appropriate action!

Anyway, he knows my feeling on BMI and it's abuse by the medical profession.

I saw my GP 12 weeks ago because my hip was hurting. He examined my hip, told me he would book an X-ray and then asked me to step on the scales. With absolutely no suprise he told me my excess weight was not helping my hip and suggested I join Weight Watchers. Well, I did as requested and I’ve lost 15 lbs. I still have a way to go but it is thanks to my GP nudging me in the right direction that I’ve finally done something to tackle my weight problem. So, I think it is a good idea for GP’s to intervene. The NHS cannot cope with the additional strain caused by obesity and we, as responsible adults need to take care of our own bodies.

Some practical solutions to the temptations would be welcome. Not just guilt tripping nagging.

I'd be very pleased. Unless I was just about to have a few glasses of wine and some junk food!

i would like to be reminded( not nagged) to loose weight and eat healthy! i have a lovely nurse and she has a lovely way with her work with patients

They would be instantly blocked