I would like the media and the world to know that neither obesity or compulsive eating disorders are recognized as coverable expenses by insurance companies because neither condition is considered a real medical problem.

I am 5'6 and 270 lbs which puts me in the worst category of morbid obesity, yet my insurance company would not cover nutritional counseling for me because I don't have diabetes. Thank G-d, I am able to pay out of pocket and am now working with a great nutrtionist, but I want the world to know that the medical and health insurance communities DO NOT help you to take off health-endangering pounds.

Riva

Danbury, CT

I am a physician in NYC and I can assure you that my colleagues and I spend MORE time with our overweight patients. Being overweight/obese places patients at higher risk for MORE health problems, NOT LESS. Therefore, they require longer visits, not shorter. I cannot imagine dismissing an obese person's asthma. Both problems are serious and need aggressive treatment. I was shocked to see read this article and see the segment on the TODAY show about " Fat-Phobic doctors". This in one lean doctor who is NOT fat-phobic. While I encourage my patients to lose weight to improve asthma, Diabetes, hypertension, prevention of strokes and heart attacks, I address ALL their health issues, not just their weight.

Thank you for reading this.

I am so glad this is being discussed! Everyone assumes that if you have ANY kind of health complaint, even a broken nail, its because you're overweight! Sheesh! I quit going to drs 7 yrs ago because everything I asked the dr about, he told me it was due to my weight. I'm not stupid, I know obesity does indeed cause many problems, but at the time, all my numbers were in the good range (exluding the scale), so I'm not sure how he could have come up with that. Find a dr without a weight bias? Good luck with that. No such animal. Drs need more training and please include sensitivity training with that as well.

I just saw the sory on the show about not getting aproperiate medical care if your overweight.

in 2000 my mother went a to a free clinic in North Kingston, RI because my father didn't have health coverage. She was and had been experiencing issues with her breasts. (abnormal leakage, inverted nipple and acheing and stabing types of pain which had been going on for at least four years before this time.)

She made an appointment to be seen by a doctor.

They did x-rays of the breasts... The doctor looked at the x-rays.

The doctor told her he could nothing for her and to go home and take aspirin or advil for the pain in her breasts.

She asked him if he wanted to examine her, and she was concerned that he didn't want to.

He was "Quite" Rude to her as she weighed around 380 for a woman of 5'4" tall. (She was wearing size 3x clothes and they were tight.)

She started to disrobe so he could examine her and he Stopped her told her " Oh, God no don't do that, I don't need to see your body! Your a fat person, and Fat people "Skieve" me! I can't be bothered touching you. If I touch your fat, sweaty, body I'll get sick!"

"Go home and take the pain relievers and when the pain gets too much for that, then come back, by then I won't be working here anymore."

She felt so Humiliated and embarassed! She drove all the way home in tears! (I don't know how she got home in the state she was in, I really don't) It was another four (4) years befor she got up enough courage to go see ANOTHER doctor about her condition. He went to the state hospital where they took care of her under the "State women's health coverage".

She tried to get her previous x-rays from the free clinic... (as the new doctor wanted to see how large the lumps had gotten in four years.. not for the purpose of her to sue anyone.) but CONVENIENTLY the storage building they used for storing all medical records caught on fire in the section where "Her Records and x-ray were stored! "

She had to have a lumpectomy on Both breasts and lymph glands removed in Oct 2004! She had both forms of Cancer! She has been thru Kemo and some radiation as the cancer had spread to a small spot in her spine and she had some spots on her lungs. Earlier in 2008 they had to switch her kemo drug as the spots on the lungs were growing.

Earlier this year and as late as last month she has gone for targeted radiation therapy for the spot in her spine as she had been complaining of severe back aches.

As of Dec. 2009 the spots are almost gone and they are starting to use the "R" word. ( Remission )

If it hadn't been for that first Doctor and if he had "Just done his Job" and examined her and treated her like Doctor's are "SUPPOSED to do....OR "bit-his- tongue "and just referred her" to someone who didn't mind treating heavy weight people.... she never would have gone thru all the therapy and surgeries she has had to endure. Not to mention the state wouldn't have had to shell out all those bucks to treat her for the cancer.

Doctors ARE supposed to treat people NO Matter What the person looks like or if they don't like them! They took an OATH !

If a doctor can't or doesn't think he can treat any one who walks thru the door.... Then DON'T Be a Doctor!

I am a 52 year old female and have lived with morbid obesity my entire life. Our culture, including a large percentage of medical personnel, perceive obesity as a character flaw and personal failing as opposed to a medical problem. Despite an increasing amount of medical evidence and research that support the fact that morbid obesity is a complex condition affected by many factors (diet, exercise, heredity, hormones, neurotransmitters, etc), there is a pervasive prejudice against obese people from the population in general. In fact, it is one of the very few socially acceptable, politically correct prejudices left. The medical profession is no different than the population as a whole. I have been fortunate to have a few doctors who actually looked at me as a human being as opposed to seeing only the obesity. Unfortunately, these doctors are the exception rather than the rule. I have received substandard treatment or no treatment at times when a normal weight person with the same symptoms would have received treatment. In one notable case, I was came close to bleeding to death from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy because an ER doctor refused to see past the fat and listen to what I was telling him. A normal weight woman presenting with my symptoms would have been admitted to the hospital ... I was sent home. This particular doctor was also extremely rough when examining me (he had part of my flesh caught in the speculum) and told me that the reason he was hurting me was because I was "too danged fat" to examine. I have been successfully examined before and since without pain, so I know this was not the case. This doctor not only misdiagnosed me and did not provide proper care, he was very angry, verbally and physically abusive and seemed to resent the fact that he had to treat me at all. He deliberately hurt me to punish me for being obese. I was so traumatized by his brutal treatment, that I nearly bled out before I could make myself go back to the hospital. When I went back, I was admitted immediately for emergency surgery. This is an extreme (although true) example. Although not generally this blatant, the anti-obesity attitude is always there, even from doctors and medical practitioners who specialize in the treatment of obese patients such as bariatric surgeons, nutritionists and psychiatrists. I could write a book full of examples, but I won't here. The refusal of the newscaster (Deustch?) to accept that there is prejudice against obese people and his immediate defense of the medical profession, is a good example of the attitude. After all, fat people are sicker and it's their fault for being fat (obese, whatever), so the doctors are justified in providing substandard care, right? Just put down the fork and get off your lazy butt and exercise and everything will be fine. We (obese people) obviously don't take care of ourselves, so why should our doctor's have to take care of us? To Dr. Leone ... I applaud your attitude and the fact that you take your obese patients seriously. I assure you that a large percentage of your peers do not. Fat phobia is rampant in the USA and the medical profession is NOT immune.

Sorry, I don't feel sorry for fat people. There are three reasons why people get fat: 1. They have issues in their lives that they haven't addressed (like an alcoholic or drug addict) and they use food to self-medicate or comfort themselves. 2. They have a genetic or hormonal imbalance. or 3. They've never been taught about proper nutrition (i.e., to eat real food not processed food) and exercise.

If #1, you address the issues - your mental health - see a therapist, psychiatrist, etc.; If #2, you get medical help - get tested and take drugs if need be; If #3, educate yourself - go the the bookstore, library, get on the internet, or watch Dr. Oz. Get out and walk - the best exercise there is! There's no excuse. Parents - let your kids walk to school or walk with them. Discipline your children - limit their time on the internet. Make them get out and play. Get off the cell, get off the internet, turn off the tv, and get moving! Eat real food - fruit, vegetables, chicken, fish, whole grains, beans. Stay away from sodas, fast food, fried foods, processed foods, etc. It's not rocket science! It's common sense!

Insurance rates for everyone are going up because of obesity; it takes more money, time, medicine, etc. to treat obesity - heart problems, diabetes, sleep apnea, knee problems! It's really no different than cigarettes and smoking. We tax cigarettes to keep people from smoking and getting cancer. Maybe sodas, fast foods, etc. should be taxed to prevent people from eating too much of them and getting obese.

If schools and churches want to help people - help them get healthy in all ways, mind, body, and soul! If we start now, maybe today's children will have a chance!

This story reminded me of that episode of "House" where the team treated a morbidly obese man, bound and determined to uncover the weekly exotic disease responsible for his symptoms and prove it was caused by his size. It turned out he had terminal lung cancer. A good example how the medical profession can be blinded by its own biases.

To CJ from Toronto: No one is asking you to feel sorry for fat people. Breast cancer is not caused by obesity ... neither is an ectopic pregnancy. However, obese people do not get the care they need for these conditions, because medical practitioners often do not look past the fat. The issue in this story is inadequate medical care for fat people, not a plea for sympathy.

While "common sense" may work for people who are mildly overweight, it doesn't work for everyone. 20 pounds overweight is a problem ... and 100 pounds overweight is a problem ... but they are not the SAME problem. Your attitude is typical and is the type of attitude that hampers the ability of obese people to get the health care and medical treatment they need. I challenge you to research the long term success rates of your simplistic solutions ... you will be shocked. A miniscule percentage of people who lose significant amounts of weight through traditional means keep the weight off over the long term (3-5 years). Your attitudes simply echo the attitudes and beliefs that are perpetuated through the media and are widely believed in society. To assume that all fat people are fat as a result of your three reasons is extremely judgmental, overly simplistic and assumes that all fat people are the same. I assure you that we are just as much individuals as our normal weight counterparts. To further assume that fat people haven't educated themselves, or tried to resolve their problems is simply wrong. In actual fact, most fat people are the victims of numerous diets, exercise programs, and have read more self help books than you can possibly imagine. Fat folks are big business, millions are spent on diets, special foods, weight loss drugs (both OTC and perscription) exercise programs/plans/equipment, etc. They all "work" for a while. None of them are effective as a long term therapy or solution. If obesity were cured tomorrow, there would be a significant economic impact. Think about it ... there is no financial incentive to find a long term solution/treatment to obesity. Think about how many products would be no longer needed if obesity didn't exist. We wouldn't need Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or NutriSystem ... or large size clothing ... or fat free/sugar free anything ... or diet soda ... or SlimFast. Obesity is supposed to be an "epidemic" in this country ... precious little money is put into research to find better and more long term treatments and therapies. After all, it's not really a perceived as a disease or medical condition ... and selling false hope and ineffective treatments is sooooooooo lucrative!

If your simplistic solutions were effective in the long run, there would be no fat people. You state that "there is no excuse". I contend I don't need an excuse to be who and what I am or to expect to have access to necessities including adequate health care and medical treatment. You further state that it's really no different than cigarettes and smoking. Wrong again ... no one needs to smoke or otherwise ingest any amount of tobacco to stay alive and healthy. Also, regardless of cause, people suffering from lung cancer or heart disease (also linked to cigarette smoking) are not denied medical treatment (unless they also happen to be obese). In contrast to cigarettes and smoking, even obese people need to eat in order to stay alive and healthy. If you starve a fat person, they will lose weight. They will not necessarily be healthier.

Oh, by the way ... I don't drink soda or ingest other liquid calories (like juices, etc.), dislike fast food, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meat daily and am a productive, hard working, successful professional. If you knew the content of my daily diet, you would be surprised to find all those wonderful things you classify as "real food". I'm not saying I never overeat or indulge in sweets or other treats ... I do. So do normal weight people. I am quite intelligent, a summa cum laude college graduate, make a good living, pay taxes and generally live my life and neither ask, nor expect the world to feel sorry for me or grant me any special privilege. I have been obese my entire life and went on my first medically supervised low calorie diet at the age of seven. I assure you there have been many weight loss attempts since then, including all of your "common sense" solutions in addition to weight loss drugs, exercise plans, and bariatic (gastric bypass) surgery. Despite being a "substandard" obese person, I managed to make a nice life for myself, have a great family, a lovely home, have many talents and I know that I am a valuable human being. All I expect to be seen for who and what I am and to have access to basic necessities, such as health care, without ignorant and biased people having to judge whether I am worthy. I pay health care premiums too, and I pay the same for health care and medical treatment as my normal weight counterparts, so should be entitled to the same standard of care.

I would like to also point out that obesity is not the only thing that contributes to high medical costs. There are many factors which contribute to high health care costs including an aging population and a large percentage of uninsured people. Normal weight, does not automatically equate to good health or indicate that a person practices a healthy lifestyle or makes good choices. I know many people who are normal weight or thin and who are unhealthy, eat fast food, don't exercise, and engage in a variety of unhealthy or high risk behaviors. Should we also deny medical care to alcholics, smokers, accident victims who weren't wearing seatbelts? Or what about accident victims who were speeding or talking/texting on their cell phones while driving? What about people who are hurt playing sports? Or maybe people who get mugged because they were in a bad part of town. I mean, they knew the risks ... it's not rocket science. Elderly people get sick a lot too ... maybe we should not allow them access to medical care either. It costs a lot to take care of old folks. Of course we shouldn't deny medical care in any of these cases. However, the attitude seems to be that since obese people are believed to be responsible for their problems, they are not worthy of adequate medical care. If this is the decision criteria for care, then basically anyone who makes a bad choice, takes a risk or makes a decision that contributes to their medical problems should also be denied care for the same reason.

To CJ in Toronto: It is not that cut and dry for why obese people are obese. Obese people can't get all the tests that are needed to be accurately diagnosed and be treated correctly. I have been having sleeping issues for three to four years and they have just diagnosed my hyper-insomnia this month. The thyroid, lipid, glucose, blood pressure, pulse, and other tests say that I am in the normal range. I can't get my doctor to do any other tests to see why I can't lose weight even though I am eating correctly and exercising (with knee injury issues). I am 5'4" and around 300 pounds. I am a single unemployed parent with limited finiances. I hope to get down to 150 pounds but that is a long time from now until I can find out why I am not able to lose the weight. My whole family is obese and I don't emotional eat anymore. I can't find a mental health provider that deals with weight, dv, and other issues. I wish everyone else luck in their journey to be health.

This is so so true. I am overweight. In 1986 I weighted 125 and  I was indirectly hit by lightning and started  having health problems almost immediately. Diabetes, huge weight gain, severe fatigue and fibromyalgia. Doctors attributed the diabetes to weight gain and the fibromyalgia on the weight gain. It became a never ending cycle. I ballooned, and my blood sugars were through the roof. Even with insulin they were running 350 -400 fasting and that was with 5 shots of insulin and two pills a day. Everything was blamed on my weight. After about 16 years of this I was very ill and I finally went to an Endorcinologist who sent me for testing which showed that my pituitary gland was not working, he suspected from the lightning strike. I was put on medication in 2002 and by 2004 I had lost 90 lbs. I had tons of energy was going to the gym 4-5 days a week, walking 3 miles a day and in really good shape. Then, I sustained a debilitating injury that  put a stop to all of  that. I could not longer drive or go anywhere alone. My injuries kept my walking at about 1/2 mile a day. Before I knew it half of the weight I lost came back and all of the problems I had been having since the injury were starting to be blamed on my weight. Doctors started saying the problems were from the weight. Good thing I had records to prove them wrong. It is wrong. Now I am just trying to figure out how to get back to where I was  with these extra problems. They are not much help.

alright look i have had enough with the obese thing.and dr.s not respecting us. i AM OBESE. I HAVE NO INSURANCE. I GET DISRESPECTED EVERY TIME I AM SEEN BY A NEW DR. AND E.R.S I HAVE A RARE DISEASE CALLED DERCUMS DISEASE. IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT. YOU NEED TO READ UP ON IT. AND SO DO DR.S!!!!!!!!! i am the only 1 in my dr.s office with that diagnosis. but who knows how many are going there that have it and have no clue. there are many reason's other then food that you could be over weight or obese. and as far as the guy who doesn't feel sorry for us. look okay. i eat healthier then everyone in my family. and they are all smaller then me! i take every vitamin i am suppose to take for optimal health everyday. you just showed your ignorance by not being EDUCATED YOURSELF!!!!!!!! so before you tell people to educate themselves maybe you should. THERE ARE FAT DISEASES OUT THERE AND THEY ARE NOT BEING RESEARCHED PROPERLY. THERE IS ONLY 1 RESEARCHING DERCUMS DISEASE.I WOULD LOVE TO GO MEET HER. I WISH I COULD AFFORD TO. SHE IS AWESOME. SHE IS AN ANGEL. SHE IS AT LEAST TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE ME LIVE THE BEST LIFE THEY CAN. BUT YET AGAIN SHE IS ONLY 1 PERSON!

When I heard this piece on TODAY I felt vindicated for leaving my primary care doctor with whom I had been for almost 20 years! He spent a full half-hour last year trying to convince me to have LAPBAND SURGERY, and insisted I attend a 2-hour meeting about it at a local hospital. My husband and I went, even though I had no intention of having such surgery. My BMI was almost 40, and I weighed about 240 lbs. However I have lost weight more than once by diet and exercise, and knew I could do it again. I felt having surgery would be the "easy" way out. I have lost 25 lbs now, and am very happy with my new doctor. I am glad this "overweight discrimination" is being put out there.

Why are alcoholics given sympathy and told their addiction to alcohol is a disease? Why are drug addicts given sympathy and told their addiction to drugs is a disease?But an overweight person's addiction to food is only caused by them being a glutton or without willpower. Not to mention that there are many causes for weight gain other than just a food addiction.

I've been both thin and overweight and I was appalled by the lack of ability by several doctors to look beyond the weight. I finally brought in a picture of my thin self to my primary care doctor along with a two week journal of my food intake. I was eventually diagnosed with asthma being my primary problem. I soon found that my constant exhaustion was caused by a low level of oxygen in my blood. Once my asthma was controlled, my constant exhaustion was corrected, I again had the energy to get back to a normal level of exercise and my weight is on its way back to normal.

I know it's a very sensitive topic, especially for women, but I wish more obese people would stop themselves from putting the problem into moral terms. Calories in, calories out, it doesn't make anyone better or worse than anybody else to gain or lose weight.

I can see how "fat prejudice" is 'the last accepted prejudice" and all, but I think we are selectively blind about how accepted obesity actually is. The technical, medical definition of obesity is something like 30 lbs overweight. 30 lbs is nothing--I would never think that a friend of mine with 30 or 40 extra pounds on them was "obese"! A little bit chubby or rounded but I would never think "Oh my God that OBESE person is HUGE!" Our eyes are just used to it, I guess. And that's okay; it doesn't make you a bad person, but saying to yourself that "obesity causes SOME problems but not all" is just fooling yourself. Obesity certainly doesn't cause every single health problem, but it exascerabtes ALL health problems. There's nothing that can be wrong with you that being obese doesn't make worse, nothing.

A lot of times the very best advice or diagnosis that can be given is to lose weight. If people just accepted that at face value they would be so much better off. How much medicine do you want in your body? Up your asthma medicine and it affects every other system in your body. Lose weight and your asthma and your general health improves.

Everyone needs to stop thinking you're better or more disciplined if you can stay thin and a worse person if you're overweight. Well, yeah, you are more disciplined, but it's really hard to be and that's great for me but it shouldn't affect my opinion of anybody else as a person. It's just weight, we live in a world (thankfully) where we even have to worry about being overweight.