Although it has been a common practice for a long time, critics argue that regular weight checks are discouraging some patients from seeking medical attention. Xanthia Walker seldom visited the doctor until her mid-30s, even when she required treatment. She was hesitant to weigh herself. Whenever she visited the doctor for issues like sciatic nerve pain or to get antibiotics, the topic of her weight always seemed to come up. “Even when I went in for migraines, the reply was, ‘Losing weight would likely help with that,'” she remembered. This changed when Ms. Walker, 40, from Phoenix, found a new doctor. Dr. Natasha Bhuyan dismisses the “weight-centric” model of medicine, advocating instead for a “weight-inclusive” approach that acknowledges diverse body shapes and sizes, emphasizing that weight alone does not determine health. “When a patient arrives, our first step is not to weigh them,” stated Dr. Bhuyan, who serves as the vice president of in-office care and national medical director at One Medical, a primary care practice owned by Amazon. If you are using Reader mode, please exit and sign into your Times account, or subscribe to access all of The Times. Thank you for your patience as we check your access. Are you already a subscriber? Sign in.. Interested in accessing all of The Times? Înscrie-te.
