Which US Physicians Are the Most Overweight?
In the latest US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report on obesity, about 35% of the US population is obese, which is a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 30. Although far fewer physicians of the total number who responded to the Medscape survey are obese (8%), being overweight is still a problem for 34% of them. The cardiologist percentage was higher than that average, with 43% of them reporting being overweight to obese. General surgeons report being the most overweight physicians, with 49% confessing to being overweight to obese (BMI > 25). Family physicians follow closely at 48%. Dermatologists are the least heavy, with less than a quarter of them (23%) reporting a BMI > 25, followed by 29% of ophthalmologists. According to investigators of a recent study using data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, looking at BMI alone may miss many people at risk for cardiovascular disease. In the study, about a third of men and almost half of women classified as nonobese had a high percentage of body fat. Some experts suggest using a BMI > 27-28 to indicate obesity, which correlates better with body-fat percentage vs the cut point of 30.
Working in the medical profession? Are you a Physician? Where do you or your colleagues fit in? Please comment.
1.Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM, for CDC. NCHS Data Brief. Prevalence of Obesity among adults: United States, 2011-2012. 2013; 131. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db131.htm
2.Busko M. Current BMI cutoffs may miss metabolic disease risk. Medscape Medical News. November 14, 2013. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/814378
DK_Vet on April 17th, 2021 at 20:40 UTC »
I occasionally attended the grand rounds for the cardiac department at a major hospital. One seminar was a resident talking about this statistic and basically chastising his overweight coworkers saying "how can you expect patients to take your recommendations of weight loss seriously when you yourself are overweight." He had patient compliance data to back up his claims too. It was a good seminar but a bit uncomfortable.
nago7650 on April 17th, 2021 at 19:57 UTC »
I mean, considering ~70% of the general US adult population is overweight or obese, the cardiologists are doing better than average.
UltimateSepsis on April 17th, 2021 at 18:45 UTC »
Cardiologist I know works about 5 am - 11 pm about 10-12 days before getting a day/weekend off. Takes call for 3-4 hospitals at a time. Routinely carries 40+ patients on his census. Chair of the group is an iron man enthusiast, pays to be the boss.