Our health system has been using BMI to "ration" healthcare for years. It's patently unscientific and incredibly racist. Fat people are far more likely to be denied care and then blamed if our health problems get worse because we're "costing the taxpayer money" - ThreadSky

bootstheory.bsky.social • 11 days ago

Our health system has been using BMI to "ration" healthcare for years. It's patently unscientific and incredibly racist. Fat people are far more likely to be denied care and then blamed if our health problems get worse because we're "costing the taxpayer money"

Comments

bootstheory.bsky.social•11 days ago

I feel like I've been shouting about this for my entire adult life and there's always some smarmy shit who jumps in to be like "ooooooooh but it's a good measurement ~on a population basis~" which is also bullshit

bootstheory.bsky.social•11 days ago

Our medical establishment is simply fatphobic and it affects medical practice and then y'all fucking dare to turn around and wave statistics at me

How about I release a pack of wolverines in your GP's waiting room then accuse you of not taking care of your health

dznz.bsky.social•11 days ago

The one-two of that article and this one showing that the health system also refuses to offer safe pathways to body composition change. It's eugenics.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/542275/kiwis-return-from-overseas-weight-loss-surgery-with-life-threatening-complications

bootstheory.bsky.social•11 days ago

There are also issues with weightloss surgery and the answer to fat people being denied healthcare should not be "surgery them into not being fat" even if it worked that way, because it reinforces the idea that fatness should be erased.

dznz.bsky.social•11 days ago

Strong agree - point was more that there are two cruel forces brought to bear, that people are so discriminated against for being fat that they are driven to risky actions. Definitely not saying fatness should be erased.

mshooper.bsky.social•11 days ago

speaking of risky actions -

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/surgeons-warning-as-kiwis-return-from-overseas-weight-loss-surgery-with-life-threatening-complications/DVXBEBG6KVFIXCOTOFSHB4VXAQ/

apocalypseelf.bsky.social•11 days ago

Remember the jaw wiring people??

bootstheory.bsky.social•11 days ago

oh gooooooooooooooooood that thing

plod.bsky.social•11 days ago

Thank you for sharing this.

It utterly unacceptable practice and I will follow this up.

bunnylove403.bsky.social•5 days ago

These two men have the same BMI. They have different body compositions. BMI doesn't account for factors like muscle mass, body fat distribution, metabolic health and ethnicity.

styla73.bsky.social•11 days ago

Fuck I'm tired.

dimsie.bsky.social•11 days ago

I was rabbiting on about this earlier today, like... oh great, we have to fight RFK Jr AND doctors AND rightwing politicians AND cookers now? And they all hate us for slightly different reasons so there is no way to "win"? I give up

mama-melancholia.bsky.social•11 days ago

Yup. The healthcare system saved $$$ when I was denied a life-changing hysterectomy due to my Gyn. being “concerned” he wouldn’t be able to find what he was looking for.

mama-melancholia.bsky.social•11 days ago

I wish I was kidding.

gailmarsh.bsky.social•11 days ago

They are using it as an excuse to deny woman with ovarian tumors, adrenal tumors, thyroid tumors surgery, these tumors cause weight gain, you cant diet or exercise it off. You need surgery. They have been doing it in the Waikato since Jan 2024. I was not worthy of surgery because it was my fault.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply