The average weight of Americans has increased over the decades. However, many doctors still harbor prejudices against “higher-weight” patients. In surveys, about 40% of doctors have admitted to negative feelings about heavy patients – sometimes called “fatphobia.”One doctor wrote last year about his own prejudices in The Washington Post. He said he had long believed overweight patients had an unhealthy lifestyle and that with a better diet and more exercise, they could lose weight because he’d been able to do that. He acknowledged he’d learned that for some people, the problem goes beyond lifestyle and that “obesity is a complex and mostly neurological and inheritable disease.”

Early diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death

Regardless of the reasons a patient may be overweight or obese by medical standards, it’s important to recognize that some doctors’ negative or at least uninformed opinions when it comes to weight (particularly with female patients) can affect their ability to provide the appropriate care. It can even lead to a failure to correctly diagnose serious medical conditions.Studies have shown, for example, that higher-weight women are more likely to die from breast and cervical cancer than those of lower weight. Both types of cancers can often be successfully treated when found early.

Avoiding the doctor can also contribute to the problem

The link between weight and fatality may not always be a failure to correctly diagnose the cancer. Women who have had negative experiences with doctors and other medical professionals due to their weight are often less likely to have regular check-ups and screenings, where some cancers and other serious conditions can be detected early.A doctor can’t be held liable for failure to diagnose if a patient doesn’t see them. However, a doctor who blames a patient’s symptoms on their weight without bothering to look further could potentially be held liable if that failure to diagnose a condition causes harm.Everyone doesn’t have the option of choosing a new doctor if theirs seems to have a prejudice about their weight or anything else about them that affects the level of care they receive. That’s why it’s crucial for patients (sometimes with family support) to advocate for themselves when they have concerns about their health. This includes determining whether a doctor’s negligence or errors have caused unnecessary harm.