Taryn Brumfitt, the 2023 Australian of the Year and body image advocate, has called for doctors not to ask about a patient’s weight unless they bring it up.
Her plea came just days after experts were alarmed by huge increases in Australia’s cancer rates, with obesity singled out as one of the biggest contributors to the rise.
World-leading cancer research hub Daffodil Centre revealed the rate of bowel cancer has drastically soared among millennials between 1991 and 2021.
Five types of cancer in total have increased between 83 and 200 per cent with bowel cancer experiencing one of the highest hikes at 153 per cent.
But Ms Brumfitt, who founded the Embrace Body Image Movement, said, ‘Weight bias is the last remaining legal form of discrimination’.
Taryn Brumfitt (pictured), the 2023 Australian of the Year and body image advocate, has called for doctors not to ask about a patient’s weight unless they bring it up
‘Many people in larger bodies tell us they have gone to the doctor with something like a sore knee, and come out with a “prescription” for a very restrictive diet, and no ongoing support,’ she told The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘When people are made to feel this sort of shame about their bodies and their weight, the main behaviour they change is that they stop engaging with healthcare altogether.’
Experts say the five types of cancer that have drastically increased are all linked to one of three risk factors: insufficient physical exercise, a deteriorating diet and obesity.
Figures for bowel cancer was only beaten by gallbladder cancer which has grown by 200 per cent.
Kidney cancer has risen 89 per cent, uterine cancer by 169 per cent and pancreatic cancer by 83 per cent.
Combined the five variants account for 60 per cent of all cancers diagnosed in Australia.
Ms Brumfitt said GPs are not adequately trained or experienced enough to have difficult conversations about food, nutrition, exercise and other health factors.
She also said a regular consultation wasn’t long enough for such complex discussions.
‘In a 15-minute appointment, there isn’t the time to go into the kind of detail required to support sustainable behaviour change.’
In Australia, around 12.5million adults are overweight or obese, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Cancer Council of Victoria Professor Graham Giles said obesity was a growing epidemic that required drastic action.
Ms Brumfitt’s (pictured) plea came just days after experts were alarmed by huge increases in Australia’s cancer rates, with obesity singled out as one of the biggest contributors to the rise
In Australia, around 12.5million adults are overweight or obese, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
‘The efforts required to improve this would be similar in scope to those required to alter the course of the Titanic or ameliorate climate change,’ he said.
Bowel cancer has additional risk factors, such as smoking, alcohol and family history of the disease.
The research showing the pivotal role of obesity in cancer, and the frank language about it from medical experts, could help pave the way for more understanding that obesity is a dangerous health risk instead of ‘a difference’ between people.
Cancer Council NSW director of prevention Anita Dessaix has called for a crackdown on other unhealthy habits. ‘I am absolutely an optimist.
‘When governments put their mind to it, they can turn complex public health issues around as they did with tobacco and are now doing with vaping,’ she said.
‘Australian governments recently released the National Obesity Strategy and the Australian Preventive Health Strategy, but the missing piece is that they are just commitments. We need to turn our attention to firmer action.’
Federal MP Sophie Scamps has called for a ban on junk food advertising on radio and TV between 6am and 9.30pm to protect children.
One factor in Millennials experiencing increases in cancer could be that screening isn’t as common in younger age groups.
If detected early bowel cancer can be successfully treated in about 90 per cent of cases.
Screening for bowel cancer starts at age 50. Australians aged between 50 and 74 are mailed a free home test every two years.
In more positive, related news, a new US study released found a higher body mass (BMI) index is not associated with early death in people who were otherwise healthy.
The research found that BMI in itself is not a reliable indicator of a person’s health.
The major culprit researchers looked at in terms of cancer risk factors was obesity
A deteriorating diet is one of the big risk factors underpinning Australia’s five most common forms of cancer. Fried food is pictured
It found that being overweight, but not obese, did not lead to a significant increase in the risk of death for younger adults.
Those aged 65 and over faced no increased risk for being overweight or slightly obese, the study reported.
But obese adults under 65 had a 21 to 108 per cent increased death risk attributed to their weight.
A recent study carried out by Monash University in Sydney found that 43 per cent of medical and allied health professionals were sceptical of the body positivity movement.
Associate Professor Gemma Sharp, who heads the university’s Body Image & Eating Disorders Research Group, said GPs were taught to use ‘opportunistic intervention’ to discuss the weight of both overweight and underweight patients.
‘Every patient I’ve ever spoken to has had this happen to them at one time or another,’ she said.
Prof Sharp said doctors focused on diets and exercise instead of body image, the causes of disordered eating, nutrition and other options for managing weight.
She said the resulting lack of early intervention by GPs was putting pressure on eating disorder clinics.
‘If we upskill GPs on managing some of these disorders themselves, it may not have to be such specialised care (is needed in the future).’
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