How to Request Not to Be Weighed at the Doctor’s Office
If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you find it a bit uncomfortable, or maybe even very triggering, to get weighed when you have a doctor’s appointment. For some people it may not be a very big deal to get on the scale, but for others it can worsen anxiety and disordered eating thoughts and behaviors.
Due to standard healthcare education and the ever-pervasive diet culture, many medical providers still practice under the belief that weight and health are directly correlated. But the truth is that a patient’s weight does not determine if they are healthy or not.
I’m gonna let you in on a little secret - you do not need to be weighed at every doctor’s appointment!
If you are uncomfortable being weighed, it is important that you advocate for yourself. It has become normalized to weigh patients in healthcare settings. Most medical providers and their staff automatically weigh every patient without asking if they would like to be weighed or not. This is usually the standard, but it does not mean that you cannot ask.
If you’re new here, hello and welcome! My name is Hannah and I am a non-diet dietitian here to help you improve your relationship with your food and finally find food freedom.
In this blog we will discuss:
How to request not being weighed at the doctor’s office.
What to do if the doctor is persistent about weighing you or talking about your weight.
How to handle situations where getting weighed is necessary.
Finding a weight neutral provider.
How to request not to be weighed at the doctor’s office
Speak up
Simply say to the person asking to weigh you “I’d prefer not to be weighed for this appointment, thank you.” This is assertive and still respectful. If the nurse or medical assistant asks why, you can say that you’d just prefer not to or you would like to discuss your reasoning with the doctor. This opens up the door for you to have this conversation with your doctor, but you do not need to explain yourself if you do not want to.
If you feel comfortable disclosing, you can also add “I am recovering from an eating disorder/I have a history of disordered eating and getting weighed would be harmful in my recovery.”
You can also ask if they can put in your chart that you’d wish not to be weighed unless medically necessary or to do a blind weight if getting on the scale truly is medically necessary.
Use “Don’t Weigh Me” cards
If you find it difficult or anxiety-inducing to speak up, you can give a “Don’t Weigh Me” card to your medical team. This is a small business card that lets them know that you’d prefer not be be weighed. You can find them here. I also have my own version inside The Nutrition Reboot Membership (my private intuitive eating support club).
What to do if the doctor is persistent about discussing your weight
Some providers may happily accept your wishes, but others may be persistent in having you step on the scale. Or, they may feel the need to discuss your weight with you as a method of treatment or prevention (which, as we discussed, is not evidence-based).
If the medical provider tries to bring up your weight, say:
“Focusing on my weight is not very helpful and it is not the concern that I came here for. Can we get back to the topic I am here for?"
If you are willing to disclose your history of disordered eating and body image issues, this might help them understand. It is your choice if you would like to share this information or not.
If the provider keeps coming back to your weight, ask them:
“Would the focus of this appointment be different if I were in a smaller body?" or "What would your treatment approach be if I were in a smaller body?"
These questions can help you assess if your provider is treating you different because of the size of your body. You can use this information to help you decide if you will seek a second opinion or find a new care provider. If you do decide to find a new provider, you can ask your doctor for a referral or, in some cases, switch providers on your own.
How to handle situations where it is necessary to be weighed
There are some cases where getting weight is medically necessary, such as when dosing certain medications. If this is the case, you can ask to do a blind weight, which means that the healthcare worker will see the weight but you won’t. This might mean that you will need to step on the scale backwards.
You may also request that the number is not shared on any digital documents or charts that you have access to as well as any paper documents that are given to you. You may also ask for a note to be put in your file that says you prefer to not be weighed at appointments.
Finding a weight neutral medical provider
If you are feeling discouraged and frustrated and like you are not being listened to because of your body size, it is okay to switch providers. You are in charge of your medical care and the doctors work for you. A weight neutral provider can be a better fit, as this type of practitioner will not bring up your weight during an appointment or use your weight as a metric of health.
At this time, The Association for Size Diversity and Health is in the process of compiling a Health at Every Size® Provider Listing Project. This is not yet complete, but it should be a great future resource for finding weight-neutral healthcare providers.
For the time being, you can try googling “weight neutral” or “weight inclusive” providers in your area. Or, if you have an eating disorder team, ask if they have any referrals of providers that they trust.
Bottom line
In most cases, you do not need to be weighed when going to the doctor’s office. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask not to be weighed and for this preference to be noted in your chart so that you don’t have to ask every time. As able, try to find weight-neutral providers that will care for you without using weight as a sole metric of health.
