Regina Benjamin Surgeon-General...a fat lady?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, the opinion on this discussion, after rereading it thoroughly, seems to be 50-50-some folks see her as a poor choice based on her weight, while an equal number feel that her credentials outweigh (hee hee) her phyical appearance. While the job of Surgeon General has everything to do with forming health policies in this country, their responsibility as a role model could be greatly debated and is not so easy to define. Look at the inverse logic-the previous acting SG, Galson, appeared to be of healthy weight, yet there was no decrease in US obesity rates during his appointment which began in 2007. As far as my own personal issues, when I brought up her qualifications and credentials as being the reason for her appointment, her detractors on this thread were quiet-except for a few who offered the highly intellectual argument that she eats too much. Dr. Benjamin was even taken to task on this thread for working in a rural community to provide healthcare to the uninsured rather than taking a more lucrative position based on her qualifications-as if avarice would be more desirable quality in a government employee. While there are certainly overweight people out there who eat too much, do not excersize and have other poor health habits, there are also those with metabolism and thyroid issues that simply cannot be considered functions of their behavior. I stand by my position that we are not only a fat country, but a fat prejudiced country and were we less so, Dr. Benjamin's weight would not be such a hot topic of conversation, to the point where it overshadows her achievements in the health care field.

I agree that Dr. Benjamin is very well qualified for what she was hired to take on (getting the uninsured health coverage) and I think she was a great choice for this. However, thyroid issues/other metabolic disturbances cause weight gain only when untreated and yes, it may make it easier for a person to gain weight, but its not unpreventable. Considering that she's a doctor, I'm sure she would take care of any such thyroid issue etc. But I think that is unrelated to what she was hired to do. I think Obama's main concerns right now are health care coverage and preventing unwanted pregnancies. Obesity will probably be a problem left to another term/President.

[Anonymous]

"'The doctor who is herself struggling with her weight will have the advantage of personal experience from the patient’s perspective — which may increase compassion and provide other insights that a primary-care practitioner without the problem may not have.

'On the other hand,' he continued, “the patient may view a doctor who is substantially overweight or unfit as lacking the basic understanding of the problem to put those principles into effect in his own life.'”


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/health/21klas.html?_r=1&ref=science

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With obesity being one of the 'biggest' health concerns in the US...is it odd that the new SG is obese?

I don't think anyone should jump on OP about this post. S/he just made an observation and asked a question.

Obese or overweight, however you see it: You have to admit there is an irony to the SG being heavier than perhaps is healthy.

[Anonymous]

Maybe it shows how open minded we have become.