Inside the Obesity Crisis
Ann Biju
Five letters.
Used to silence
But the pain is far from extinguished,
Screeches muffled but still roaring.
A spew of mouths but not an ear in sight
From the man in white a textbook case
Open. Shut.
Taking up more space
Feeling the smallest.
Humanity on a mission to victimise,
The irony of not wanting to oblige
Even the chair pokes and prods,
Laughing, tormenting.
It’s a choice.
But who would choose this?
Judgement,
Beating down like hailstones on a stormy day
Except this storm never passes.
Broken bodies, aching bones,
A lifetime of tiredness.
Walk a day in these shoes
Just one.
No lifeline thrown,
Instead the tap tap tapping of a keyboard,
Condemning, Drowning.
“Come Back when….”
What about the here? What about the now?
Meticulous measurements, Careful calculation
The results are in.
Not a second thought,
Now, not even so much as a glance.
All ailments waivered,
Five letters
Encapsulating problem, diagnosis and treatment.
Convicted and Sentenced
A Bitter Pill.
Left to lose it.
Lose mind, body and soul
There are no winners in this game.
An External battle, an Internal war
Nothing to push forward with
Everything to lean back on.
Stuck in time.
Signs worsening
Symptoms accumulating
Systems failing
Hopelessness sprouting where optimism once blossomed
A Downward Spiral
The poem starts off by describing how, people who are overweight may be immediately faced with a level of prejudice when coming to a consultation. Often it has taken a lot of courage for this person to come in and speak to their doctor and in some interactions that I have seen, patients may be judged rather than treated with compassion and empathy. This often sets the wrong tone for the consultation and prevents patients from opening up further. Clinicians may also not be as curious as usual if they believe that a vast majority of the patient’s symptoms can be managed if they ‘just’ lose weight. This undermines the patients experiences and increasingly research has shown that a multitude of factors contribute to someone being overweight or obese and when this is not taken into consideration doctors can have tunnel vision and not appreciate the full complexity of the problem. The lack of investigations and treatment options offered to patients in this situation, stresses the need for criticality; treating obesity as a symptom itself not just as a perpetuator of others. In the poem the patient feels abandoned and dejected, with the doctor leaving them to tackle the problem themselves. With a more collaborative approach, working towards a common goal, the doctor fulfils their role by treating in a holistic manner and the patient feels empowered in the process.
The lack of pronouns in the poem was intentionally used to make the reader feel as though this could be anyone at any stage of life and that the role of doctor and patient could easily be reversed in different circumstances. I also used strong themes of nature throughout the poem in order to highlight the strong driving force behind the feelings of the patient, as well as how they are ever-changing. In addition, the use of rhetorical questions encourages the reader to think about the consequences of being overweight and how society discriminates against those who are. I also included an audio recording of how the poem would be read aloud.
Overall, by writing this poem it has made me think about the challenges that being overweight poses and how having a high BMI can cause medical professionals to dismiss the patient’s ideas, concerns and expectations. The very fact that levels of obesity are rising within the population tell us that we need to find new, innovative and creative solutions to this problem and that doctors should be at the forefront of this.
See Below for Audio Link
Highly Commended for the Effective Consulting Creative Prize, Year Two, 2021
This poem has really grasped the feelings of frustration and loneliness obese people can feel, which could be alleviated by a better system. I particularly find the use of the rhetorical question ‘Who would choose this?’ echoes the frustration obese people feel when constantly told that their condition is a choice. That it is all their fault they are obese. Obesity is a disease, it is complex, there are several factors (and inequalities)- both genetic and environmental, that can lead to this.
The juxtaposition of ‘Taking up more space Feeling the smallest’ highlight how vulnerable and isolated obese people feel. You feel noticed by all, yet not noticed by anyone at the same time.
‘Textbook case’- Unfortunately, some doctors immediately conclude the consultation with- if you lose weight, all of your problems will be solved. That is all they see. They say it as if losing weight is easy, that there are not several obstacles to losing weight, that there are not any consequences to that phrase. The focus should be on supporting your patients to become healthier, finding safe ways to do so. An eating disorder can also lose weight, but it also severely damages your physical and mental health by having to face the fear of eating every single day.
‘This storm never passes’. Obese people are judged 24/7- by their own family, friends and most unfortunately, by themselves. It is a never-ending battle. The mental toll this has is excruciating, and so very tiring. You have encapsulated this feeling precisely.
The lines of the poem become more disrupted and disorganised as the poem concludes- which portrays the last line of this poem ‘A downward spiral’. Doctors are meant to support and uplift their patients, yet obese people feel threatened of judgement even by their own doctors.
To conclude, the range of literary devices in this poem have addressed the upsetting, but true reality that many people suffer through today- and they shouldn’t need to. Better training is needed for doctors to be able to support their patients in their journeys to becoming healthier, especially with obesity becoming an increasingly common condition in this day and age.
This concrete poem provides key insights into the struggles that those with obesity face. I was intrigued by the visualness of this poem: the label ‘obese’ that outlines the figure suggests that obese people feel physically defined by their size. However the poem is written within the body of the person drawn, implying that the frustrations and difficulties faced by those with obesity are very much internal and hard to see from the outside.
This poem uses very emotive language like ‘a lifetime of tiredness’ to emphasize the prejudices that obese people are constantly faced with. This poem is very astute in portraying society’s views on obesity whilst also conveying the mental burden and suffering that obese people themselves face. For example the line ‘taking up more space’ is juxtaposed with ‘feeling the smallest’ to convey the poor self esteem that those with obesity often have.
Finally the rhetorical question ‘it’s a choice, but who would choose this?’ is a powerful depiction of the blame society places on those with obesity. Society disregards the complexities of obesity and instead suggests that obese people can control and change their predicament. However science is increasingly telling us that obesity often stems from a combination of genetic and environmental causes, hence invalidating this view. The tone here is desperate and highlights a need for change in attitudes towards obesity.
This poem explores the scenario in which obese patients are facing different psychological challenges, especially in the modern healthcare system. This poem draws my attention as it dives into the discrimination’s severe effects. In addition, the lack of compassion that patients experience when seeking help from medical professionals is illustrated by the author’s words.
With its reference to the term “obese,” the first sentence, “Five letters. Used to silence,” demonstrates how a clinical label may mute a patient’s voice and reduce their complicated experiences to a stigmatised disease. “Screeches muffled but still roaring” evokes the inner anguish of patients whose worries are not heard but are felt very strongly.
The poem uses phrases like “the man in white a textbook case / Open. Shut.” to criticise the impersonal attitude of some medical practitioners. This portrays a commercial exchange in which patients are treated more like cases than like distinct people with their own tales. The author uses contradiction in the poem: “Taking up more space / Feeliing the smallest” which shows the patient physically exists in a clinical setting and feels invisible.
The poet universalises the event by purposefully leaving out pronouns, implying that anybody may be in the patient’s shoes. This stylistic decision reminds readers that roles can readily switched and emphasises the need for empathy.
Poems about nature, including “Judgement, / Beating down like hailstones on a stormy day” and “Hopelessness sprouting where optimism once blossomed,” eloquently convey the unrelenting strain and hopelessness that sufferers experience. These lines painted a full picture of how patient’s optimism and wellbeing may be harmed by unpleasant clinical experience
The idea that obesity is solely a personal decision is refuted by the rhetorical question, “But who would choose this?” It challenges medical experts and readers to think about the intricate interactions between environment, psychology, and heredity that lead to obesity.
The poem highlights the simplification of patient care, which is a serious problem in medical practice. The way that certain medical professionals minimise a patient’s health issues to their weight while perhaps ignoring more critical diseases is criticised in lines like “All ailments waivered, / Five letters / Encapsulating problem, diagnosis and treatment.”
After reading the poem, I have learned that the art of medicine should not only include diagnosis and therapy but also the psychological and social aspects of patients. The importance of empathy, active listening and compassion are highlighted by the author. By recognising and valuing patients’ experiences, clinical interactions and patient outcomes can be enhanced by healthcare professionals.
All in all, the author is trying to prompt a shift from the biomedical model to the biopsychosocial model that treasures empathy and compassion. By using an artistic way, the idea of recovery in a rapport environment is the core of successful treatment is expressed.