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Obese Women Face More Discrimination Than Men in Health Care

As American waistlines expand, discrimination against the obese has grown in health care, and it seems to be skewed toward women. A 2007 study out of Yale University found doctor prejudice starts when a woman is as little as 13 pounds overweight. In contrast, similar prejudice doesn't start for men until they are 75 pounds overweight. Dr. Peter Sosnow, head of the Medical Society in the capital region, said the increased risks associated with obesity, coupled with sky-high medical malpractice rates, make a doctor not accepting obese women into their practice understandable. "Bad outcomes can become malpractice even  though there's no negligence," Sosnow said. Click here to read more (Note: We will have an in-depth look at weight discrimination in our December issue). Click here to read more.
 
 



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