Professional Responsibility To Discuss Obesity

You are a medical student observing consultations in a pediatric outpatient department. The last patient of the day is a 12-year-old boy who has been brought in by his mother. He has had a recent inpatient stay with abdominal pain and has come for the results of some further investigations he has had as an outpatient. No cause for his pain was found at the time and it has not returned. The consultant is also able to reassure the child and his mother that all the other tests have been normal too. The consultant then goes on to bring up the thorny subject of the child’s weight. Although his mother is very slender, it is obvious that her son is obese. Unfortunately, at the mere mention of his weight, the son becomes tearful, and as the consultant pushes on to discuss it further, he gets very distressed and leaves the room.

• Should the consultant have raised this subject?
• Would it have made a difference if the consultation was with an adult?
• What other lifestyle choices should healthcare professionals discuss with their patients?

Apply Theory (Specific Professional Healthcare Competencies + Clinical Medical Ethical Principles) to Practice in order to provide Optimal Patient-Centered Care (OPCC)

Clinical Ethics and Law, Second edition. Carolyn Johnston, Penelope Bradbury, Series editor: Janice Ryme