07/31/2023
This list may also apply to other obesity medicine doctors / metabolic surgeons.
1. Giving negative weight comments to whomever I come across. "You look like you need to lose weight", "You need to come and see me". 🙅♂️🙅♀️🙅 Even to close friends & family members. It's rude and unprofessional.
2. Giving unofficial curbside, online, side-walk, whatsapp consultation. It doesn't work! The accountability & continuity of the care component in a professional consultation doesn't exist.
3. Food policing. I don't go around checking my patients, friends and family food during parties, buffets or social events.
4. Cure obesity. Medical treatments, be it medical nutritional therapies, exercise prescription, psychological interventions, medications & surgery, are just a part of the overall disease management.
5. Promise/guarantee x,y,z % amount of weight loss from certain treatment. Treatment response differs between individuals. There are super-responder & non-responder in anti-obesity medications & metabolic bariatric surgeries. I believe in providing honest information based on clinical studies and through our clinical experience.
6. Use one single medication for all patients. I know there is a hype for certain meds/procedure, but not all patients need/can use them. Individualized treatment is the key. You are special.
7. Focused area weight loss, ie thighs, tummy. Out of my scope of expertise. That's under plastic recon surgeons and aesthetic physicians. Find the licensed ones. USA has a strict medical regulation, as long as they are doctors.
8. Supplements to lose weight. No such things. Please don't confuse between products under research with evidence based medical practice.
9. Meal planning, medical nutrition therapies, exercise programming, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance commitment therapy. Clinical dietitians, exercise physiologists, physiotherapists, psychologists studied 4 years undergrad degree and had years of clinical training in their fields. I respect them a lot and love to have them. But to provide detailed prescriptions of these is not a doctor's strength. Basic 'advice' should be ok.
10. Scold patients for not following through their lifestyle change or treatment plan. Obesity medicine emphasizes a lot of motivational interviewing and collaborative care. This is not an instructive & punitive kind of military training. Enough stigma & bias experienced by patients. 😭