Skinniness does not mean health

THE EDITOR: It is a sad day when a medical professional can freely malign a citizen, female or male, in the name of “education” and “awareness.”

As a medical professional myself, highlighting a patient’s condition, ie using their image, name, illness/situation etc without their consent is a no-no and can be classified as an abuse of authority.

If this is the condescending attitude that a potential client receives, it creates a domino effect of mistrust which may prevent them from seeking further medical assistance or intervention.

Moreover, while a high body mass index or BMI can be indicative of ill health, “skinniness” does not epitomise health; there are many people who fall into what is considered a “normal healthy BMI range” who develop chronic non-communicable diseases or other illnesses.

Health is not just a matter of weight for one’s height but, as aptly described by the World Health Organization, it is a state of physical, mental and social well-being.

We must do better – embarrassment is not the way to go. Let’s not continue to drive our citizens into the hands of the proliferating swarm of the unscrupulous and untrained. Let us be their first choice.

JESSICA JOHN via e-mail

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"Skinniness does not mean health"

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