Some question whether plastic surgeons bear responsibility for promoting suspect norms of beauty, given that certain types of cosmetic enhancements reinforce common conceptions of normality that are harmful to society.
The guidelines for patients’ eligibility for bariatric surgery have not changed since 1991, although recent data suggest there may be indications for broadening application of the surgery.
The rationale for policy intervention to reduce obesity rates appears compelling. Justification for intervening in the case of children is particularly strong, and precedent suggests that society will more readily accept appropriate restrictions to youth behavior.
Emily A. Kuhl, PhD, David J. Kupfer, MD, and Darrel A. Regier, MD, MPH
Revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders aim to ground diagnoses in empirical evidence, make them less stigmatizing, and incorporate assessments of patients' functioning over time.
Residents can be better prepared to treat patients who are obese by understanding that care as an expression of the core principles of professionalism: responsibility, self-regulation, patient-centered care, and teamwork.