Viral TikTok sparks debate about NHS treatment of overweight patients
A viral TikTok video has prompted discussions among women who feel they are being ignored by NHS doctors because of their weight.
Holly Wynne, a fashion influencer and content creator, shared her own experience in a video posted on the platform on Sunday 18 August. In her video, she claimed that her NHS doctor made her feel like “a big fat pig”.
Wynne, whose video has garnered over 222,000 views and hundreds of comments, said: "One thing about the NHS, right, they will not rest until you know that you are a big, fat pig.
"I could go to the doctor’s having had somebody smash my actual face in with a brick, and they would say, ‘Have you tried losing weight? Have you tried lifestyle change?’"
She went on to recount a visit to her doctor the day prior, during which her doctor rang another doctor on the phone.
"Before they even discussed my symptoms, my age, anything else about me or my medical history, the guy on the phone said, ‘Is she obese?’ And the doctor in front of me said, ‘Yeah, she’s obese’.
"Then, because of that, they decided I didn’t need to be seen within 24 hours anymore, I needed to be seen within seven to 14 days. Then they suggested that before my appointment in seven to 14 days, I try a lifestyle change."
Wynne continued: "I just want to let you know something, if I changed my lifestyle today, in seven days, your girl is still going to be heavy. It is just bizarre to me, it’s just bizarre."
Viewers took to the comments to share similar experiences of doctors appearing to ignore their symptoms and focus instead on their weight.
"This is so true! I’m told all my PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) symptoms will disappear if I lost weight and it’s just my weight causing it," one person wrote, adding: "My weight is so bad because of my PCOS. And I have tried most methods out there to lose weight as well."
Another said: "I went in with an ear infection and was told it was because of my weight."
"I was 22st (approximately 139kg), went in for stabbing period pains, lethargic, told to lose weight. I said I was too tired, just weak, ended up losing 8.5st (approximately 53kg) and found out I actually have cervical cancer and endometriosis," a TikTok user shared in the comments.
A fourth wrote: "I saw the GP for a rash on my leg when I was 32 weeks pregnant and he just suggested I lose a lot of weight. I said, ‘I think I’ll give birth first… can we get back to the problem with my leg please’."
Yahoo UK has contacted Wynne and NHS England for comment.
Wynne’s video highlights an ongoing issue with weight discrimination in the UK. A 2018 survey highlighted by the British Liver Trust found that four in five UK adults believe people with obesity are viewed negatively because of their weight and 62% of Britons think people are likely to discriminate against someone who is overweight.
Weight discrimination within healthcare is also a problem, experts have warned. In response to the survey, Johanna Ralston, chief executive of the World Obesity Federation, called on the General Medical Council and education providers to "improve patient management training in medical schools, as people with obesity are often dismissed by their healthcare professional because of their weight without being properly diagnosed".
In 2022, researchers at University College London found that doctors and nurses often "weight-shame" people who are overweight or obese, with a number of health professionals believing these patients are "lazy, lack self-control, overindulge, are hostile, dishonest, have poor hygiene, and do not follow guidance".
Dr Anastasia Kalea, an associate professor at the division of medicine at UCL, told the Guardian: "Sadly, healthcare, including general practice, is one of the most common settings for weight stigmatisation and we know this acts as a barrier to the services and treatments that can help people manage weight.
"The result is that patients are not coming back or they delay their follow-up appointments, they avoid healthcare prevention services or cancel appointments due to concerns of being stigmatised due to their weight."
Medical professionals have also come under fire for treating female patients differently compared to male patients. In 2008, a study found that doctors were more likely to give painkillers to men experiencing abdominal pain than to women complaining of similar symptoms and pain levels.
The researchers suggested that "gender bias is a possible explanation" for withholding pain relief from women. They wrote: "Despite having similar pain scores, women are less likely to receive analgesic (pain relief) treatment than men, particularly opiates, and wait longer for their medications."
A more recent study, published in 2022, shows that little progress has been made in this area. A report published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) revealed that women living with debilitating symptoms like extreme pain and heavy bleeding were facing prolonged waits for appointments, diagnoses and treatments.
Dr Edward Morris, president of the RCOG, said: "We believe the reason gynaecology waiting lists have seen the biggest growth is because time and again we see women’s health consistently deprioritised and overlooked. At its core, it is gender bias and it’s reflective of society as a whole. Women are being let down and change is urgently needed.
"The RCOG is calling for an overhaul of the way the NHS prioritises treatment, looking beyond clinical need and recognising the suffering of these women. The NHS must take meaningful action to ensure that those on waiting lists are given priority based on the impact that their conditions are having on their quality of life as a whole – especially as we emerge from the pandemic."
Read more about health and wellness:
Dr Alex George challenges 'fat shaming' as he reveals feeling 'nervous' going to the gym 'bigger' (Yahoo Life UK, 2-min read)
Calls to scrap BMI over eating disorder concerns – is it an accurate measurement? (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
‘So muscular is a good thing for boys and a bad thing for girls?’ Why body shaming women in sport is not OK (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
